Anything But Average
by TheTickoftheClock
Summary: Average. The one word that can describe me. Average face. Average brown eyes. Average ash hair. Average lips. Average smile. Average grades. Average – well, everything. I'm not special in any way but one. And I've been told it millions of times. If you'd like to continue reading this, look at (chemiburned) . (blogspot) . (com) I AM CONTINUING THIS: on chemicallyburned @ fanfiction
1. Average

**Hello! This may be your first time reading something of mine, so I'll introduce myself!**

**My name is Dezzy, but you can call me December if you want. I try to be as funny and entertaining with my stories as I can, I find myself to write a lot like how I think Max would.  
**

**But, alas, it's been pointed out to me that I don't have very much grammar checking, but... I thought when I had it edited I did a pretty good job. So, kindly point these out to me in my next chapters and I will see if I can get them fixed! I try to do my best, and I've been told it was very good my teacher, so whatever.  
**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter of ~Anything But~ Average!  
**

**.Dez.**

**P.S. I don't own McDonalds, Fang, or glue. Do you really think I'd be able to own Maximum Ride if I can't handle the glue?  
**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 1:**

**Average**

Average. Average is the one word that can describe me. Average face. Average brown eyes. Average ash-blonde hair. Average lips. Average smile. Average grades. Average – well, everything, I guess. I'm not special in any way but one.

And I've been told it millions of times.

My twin, my only un-average quality, has a tendency to rub it in my face. Maya. Perfect blonde hair. Perfect green eyes. Perfect face. Perfect smile. Perfect Grades. Perfect boyfriend. The only thing that isn't perfect about her – is her twin. The only thing to bring her down. Her tomboy twin, with the average everything, and below average love-life.

So you can guess how many times out of ten that her anger and problems are aimed towards me.

The fact that our teacher paired me with her boyfriend, also happens to be my fault, which is really weird. Because, I never remember going up to the teacher and bribing him into letting me be the target of my sisters wrath. But, you never know where sleep walking leads you.

Yes, I'm a sleep-walker. Another thing that gets me in trouble with my family. And, why I never go to sleep overs.

You may be wondering, _"Okay, whose life story did I just pick up? Because this book stinks."_

And you have all the right to wonder, since I do much of the time as well.

But here's what I know:

When I was little, Maya and I were at school, in kindergarten. I was riding a small bike. Yes, a bike. Not a tricycle, because then this would've never happened. I was riding it on the play ground, and some kid came up to me and pushed me off, yelling, "Freak!" I was so outraged at this comment, that I stalked up to him.

"Just because you're jealous that other people are _much_ better than you, you don't have to push them off their bike," I'd said calmly.

"Yeah, cause you have so much to be jealous of." He scoffed. That was the first time someone had put me down. And it didn't feel right.

"Eat this." I socked him in the face, and broke his nose. _That_ felt right. Maya had been embarrassed that her sister could be such a _Barbarian_. See, in kindergarten she could use words like barbarian and not be called a freak. But if I rode a bike, some guy would come and push me on the ground.

That kinda started her hating-me-and-not-wanting-to-be-seen-with-me shtick.

Of course, after that I got an after school and they called mom and dad. And I made my first friend in detention, which was weird. Because it was the guy that I punched. His name was James. This is how it went:

"So."

"So."

"So."

"So."

"So-"

"Don't. I'm Max." I said.

"Jimmy." He said, but with his nose plugged up, it could barely be heard.

"Immy?"

He shook his head. "Jimmy!"

"Iggy?" I tried. He sighed and put head on the desk, halting our whispers.

Now that you have the backstory, I'd like to bring you back to my time. With my sister, freaking out at me.

"What on Earth are you trying to do to my life?" She shrieked. "Are you _trying_ to humiliate me? It's bad enough we go to the same school, but this... Auuugh!" She let out a shriek of appalled rage as she flew around my room. Well, she didn't call it a room. She called it a sty. With a wood floor, and a large art desk, and a small bed with black walls, that I could paint on when ever I wanted. And then all I had to do, was poster over them. I did outlines and contour sketches, with yellows, bright greens, and oranges. Rarely did you see purple or blue; those were the colors I used when I was in a happy mood. I'd only painted in either of those colors once.

And it's not hard to see why.

"You and Nikki can't be seen together!" She cried, almost ready to flop down on my bed. Then she took one look at the green comforter and changed her mind.

"I don't want to be seen with 'Nikki'," I stated, using a mock voice for "Nikki." "So I guess we're on the same page." I turned back to my drawing.

"Oh, yeah, of course you don't." She said sarcastically.

"What do you mean?" I turned to face her and she glared at me.

"Every girl in school wants to be seen with Nikki. Why are you any different?"

"Because," I started lividly. "I'm not one of the generic girls flipping my hair and batting my eyelashes just to get _some_one to look at me. I'm not you."

She stared at me in shock, anger written in her face. Like, literally engraved in her pores.

"Just get out. I'm not getting crap from you." She huffed her way out, mini-skirt bobbing from side to side like they always do. They, being a collective for her and her groupies. As soon as the door slammed behind her, I crumpled up my drawing and threw it at the door.

I got out my bag of paints and my paintbrushes. I ran to the small sink in my bathroom and filled a cup full of water. I set it on the desk, and took my chair away from the desk. I set it over by the bed and grabbed a red. Red, obvious enough, was for when I was angry.

I took off the whole cover and dipped my thin paintbrush into the small amount of paint in the cap, ready to burn off some steam.

*.*.*.*.*.*

I grabbed one of the new posters Dad had bought me from under my bed. Dad was the only one who knew about my paintings. Mom was too busy with work to be home much, so Dad took care of us most of the time. Dad worked at a college down the road teaching science as a professor at Arizona University.

Maya passed by in the hall and noticed the poster I was putting up. "Another Paramore poster? You aren't going to be able to see the wall soon." She left with that. It was true, I did have barely any more room for any paintings.

I shrugged and hopped off the chair, putting the cap back on the paint bottle and collecting all of the colors I used and putting the materials back where they belonged.

_Belong._

The word echoed around in my mind for a while. I just stood there, thinking how it would be nice to belong somewhere. Belonging to a group in school would be nice. There are so many that anyone could have a chance to be in. Like, if I wanted to be in the Drama group, I'd have to be able to act. If I wanted to be in the Mathematician group, I'd have to be able to count. Okay, I can count, but I have no interest in doing more Algebra than I need to. If I wanted to be in the Chess Club group, I'd have to be able to play chess with out flipping out on the person who beat me.

None of those scenarios will ever be true for me.

The only group I could ever be in would be the Musical group. Mom has a great voice, and apparently I got that from her. Maya got the Tone-deafness from my Dad. I also know a little bit on the ukulele, and my mom used to teach me some things on the cello. But I rarely ever practice, so I don't think I'd be in any position to be in the Music group.

Mom was home tonight, since it was a Monday, so I could smell the food cooking in the kitchen. I grabbed my iPod and hopped downstairs. "Hey mum." I leaned casually on the counter and watched her cook the spinach turn overs she'd promised to make. They were my favorite.

See, the family on my mom's side is lebanese. For some reason, they make amazing food, and I really envy how mom can cook. Though I got moms voice, and dads artistic abilities, I got nothing of their cooking talents. They both cook really well, and I can't even make cereal without spilling anything.

"Hi, honey." She said, mixing up the spinach in a pan, caramelizing it for the turnovers.

"Hey."

"How was your day?" She asked, looking over at me.

"Well, not great. Mr. Chinneth announced we were having a project, and he paired me up with-"

"Mooooom!" Maya cut in, coming into the kitchen. I glared at her, but it was wasted when she walked up to mom and started crying.

"Nikki keeps asking if I want to come to his house to meet his parents. Can I pleeeaase go?" She asked, probably for the millionth time this month.

"Honey, you know how I feel about it."

"But mooooooooom!" She cried again and I rolled my eyes. Whenever she wants something bad, she pretends to cry and usually gets away with it.

Mom sighed, and turned back to the stove. "Do you think you'd want to have him over here for dinner? And then maybe I'll think about it?" She compromised. Maya sniffled and wiped her eyes.

I hopped off the counter knowing that I probably wouldn't get to talk to mom again anytime soon. "I think that would work." I heard Maya say before I shoved an earphone in my ear, drowning out any noise with Florence and the Machine.

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**So? Tell me what you think!**

**Oh, and the song she was listening to by Florence was Drumming Song. I didn't put any lyrics, just because it was a good place to end. BUT: That song is the song I crank up on my iPod when I need time to think, so I thought it might be good for this.  
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**:) R&R.  
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**.Dez.  
**


	2. Maya's Crying? WTC?

**Helllooo! This seems to have gotten a lot of reviews, so I got this chapter ready pretty soon, and it has a decent twist to it.  
**

**I didn't really have a set on where the turn was going to be, so I hope I didn't go too fast for you guys.  
**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I can't believe that I got 15 reviews for one chapter! That's more than I have for Camp Cammiwakki {Zero} which I thought was really good! I also have one called Breaking the Silence, and it has only one review so far, so if you want, go check those out! They're pretty good, and I have tons more chapters coming for 'em that are already written. I just have to edit 'em real quick and do an Authors Note in the beginning!  
**

**But, if no one reviews for MR: Camp Cammiwakki, which is much better than the description portrays, I might not continue.  
**

**Anyways; DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER****DISCLAIMER**  


**:) .Dez.  
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**~Anything But~ Average  
**

**Chapter 2:**

**Maya's Crying? WTC?  
**

The rest of that night, I barely got to talk to mom. Every time I tried telling her about my day again, Maya would cut in with some lame excuse for mom to follow her. Obviously, Maya didn't want me to tell mom about the project. I gave up trying sometime after supper, and just went up to my room.

Maya came up a second later. "Max, I have a deal for you." I rolled my eyes.

"And?"

"I want you to tell Mom you have a project with Nick."

"It didn't seem that way." This time, it was Maya's turn to roll her eyes.

"Just let me finish. If you tell mom that you have to work on the project with Nikki, then he can come over more. And he can gain mom's trust and he'll be able to have me over!" She squealed.

"And you sincerely believe that I will do this without something in it for me?" I said.

"Well, kinda." She said like it was something I owed to her.

"You're freaking hilarious," I said, turning to sit in my chair. She frowned, and I smiled, a new thought coming into mind. "Nah, maybe I'll just ask mom if I can stay after school with him for my project." Maya's eyes widened and I swallowed the urge to laugh.

"Wait! I'll... make you popular?" She said like it was a question. I looked at her in all seriousness.

"Maya, sweetie, if I wanted to be the top of the school, I could be. I just don't want to sink to your pathetic level. I'd rather be myself than live an artificial life and not be happy with it." I turned to my desk and fiddled with some of my drawing paper. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maya's face, and if she felt anything about what I'd said, she didn't show it.

"Fine. I won't make your life any more miserable than it already is." This piqued my interest, and I looked up.

"That sounds great." I said without any hint of sarcasm. She smiled, and held out her perfectly manicured hand. I didn't take it quite yet. "But we also get switched, one day that I pick." She blanched.

"What? Gosh no!" She took her hand back quickly. "I'm _not_ wearing those clothes. No way in Macy's."

"Fine," I said and sighed. "I guess I'll just go tell mom that I'll be needing to stay after school with Nicholas tomorrow." I got up from my chair, but she quickly pushed me back down.

"Fine. I'll do it. But if you're going to be me, then I'm doing your make-over." She shook my hand before I could do anything to say "No crap way in Peter Petrelli's mind will I ever do that." I gaped at her.

"Oh, this will be fun." She said.

"Get out." She hurried out when she saw my Glare of Demise. It usually meant I was about to hurt the receiver. When she was gone, I walked over to my bed and flopped down. Before I knew it, I was out without even bothering to change.

*.*.*.*.*.*

I woke up to an annoying beeping on my bed stand. I groaned aloud, realizing it was a new school day. _Thursday,_ I thought. I stood up and yawned, walking over to my dresser to see if I had any clean clothes.

I picked out a black shirt with a picture of drumsticks that said Stick with the Band and some jeans. I grabbed my _Barnes and Noble _school bag and headed downstairs. Mom was already gone, and Maya was sitting at the table eating breakfast. Unlike her friends, Maya eats a crapload, just like me. I sat down across from her after getting a bowl and spoon, and poured myself some cereal.

Chomping away, I looked up and saw Maya staring at me with a grotesque smile on her face. I stopped chewing.

"What?" I said slowly. She stopped smiling quickly and shook her head.

"Nothing." She said a little too innocently. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"No, tell me."

"Whoops!" She got up and ran her cereal over to the sink, dropping it in and running over to her heels, slipping them on. "Bus is coming! Come on, quick!" I was about to be surprised that she was urging me not to miss the bus, but then I remembered that she promised she wouldn't make my life more miserable than it already is. I smiled to myself.

Walking out the door after slipping my Chuck Taylor's on, I thought how Maya really wasn't that bad. When we were kids, we were less pressured by social statuses and she was still nice to me at home. That stopped in 5th grade, when we moved to Middle School.

I passed our rabbit cages and the chicken pen, and I kissed Yenta and Shiloh goodbye. They were my two favorite rabbits, and they both had some baby bunnies. I saluted to Rooster Cogburn and Foxy, some of the chickens that actually had names. They were distinguishable from the others. I also had Mrs. Butterworths.

I walked down the driveway to wait with Maya. We aren't city-livers, we live in one of the smaller towns of Virginia. My mom moved us here from Maine because she hated how cold it was up there, but it wasn't that much better her in the winter. There were tons of trees and great places to garden which my mom appreciated.

I reached the end of our driveway and saw Maya getting onto the bus. I hurried up and hopped up the steps, sitting in my usual seat, #12 on the right. Iggy's stop was next, and once he got on he sat with me. "Heeyy..." He said in a very creepy voice. I smiled and rolled my eyes. Iggy was a sexist idiot that happened to be the player of the school. Girls only laughed with him because he was incredibly cheesy and he liked it that way. He was actually a real gentleman when he was being serious.

"Hey." He frowned at my short response. "What?"

"You seem moody today."

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly living in paradise."

"Well if your mom actually liked me I'd be able to make it way better." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I groaned and dropped my head on the seat in front of me. You see, Iggy got "kicked out" of our house after mom said she didn't like his jokes. He was being very sexist and making really lame cracks the whole time. I can still go over to his house, but mom still doesn't approve of him.

Which is totally unfair, because it's not like there's anything going on between us. Sure, I've been best friends with him ever since that fateful day in kindergarten, but if I were to date Iggy, I'd probably need to drink blood every night to feel alive. Get it? I just made a vampire... never mind. It's not even worth explaining.

After some small talk about what went down last night, {I didn't tell him the part about Maya and my deal}I weaved my way to my locker and heard a squeal behind me. _Oh no. Oh heck no._ I felt myself slam into my locker as Nudge hugged me til' I could barely breathe.

"Devon asked me out!" She yelled in my ear.

"That's great," I gasped out. "But I can't breathe."

"Oh..." She backed off and I fell on my back. I looked up at her and the school's fluorescent light shined in my eyes.

"The light! It's closing in." I reached my hands up.

"Oh, get up." She dragged me up and I felt my head whoosh around.

"Whoa there, girly," I whipped my head around to see her leaving, waving goodbye.

"See you in English!" She yelled. I nodded and slung my bag over my shoulder, walking down to science.

*.*.*.*.*.*

"Yo, Max!" I looked over towards the sound of someone yelling my name over the loud noise of the lunch room. It was Nick. He rarely ever talks to me, but he seemed nice enough. He mostly asked something about Maya. Today was no different. "Have you seen Maya?" He asked me. I shook my head.

"No, never seen her. She's not my twin or anything." I turned to leave.

"Seriously. I can't find her." I sighed.

"Fine, maybe check the bathroom. She was being nice to me today, which probably means something was up." I turned to leave again, only to have him grab my arm.

"I can't go in the girls' bathroom." Oh right...

"Then you're out of luck." For the third time, I turned to leave but he held onto my arm. "What do you want, for goodness sakes?"

"Can you please just go look for her?" I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you care so much?" It's not like she was dying and he said something rude to her. Though I don't know Nick much, I know he's as much of a gentleman as Iggy _can_ be.

"Um, well let's see. She's my girlfriend and she ran out of class crying. Now, maybe I'm crazy, but I think that's enough reason for me to care. I nodded.

"Wait. Maya was crying?" I hadn't seen her cry since 5th grade when she said that some Dylan guy "moved away with her heart." She doesn't cry much. We're a lot alike, though it may not seem it. She's just a different social status, and tends to be a wench.

Nick nodded in front of me and I shoved my lunch box into his hands. Running to the freshman bathrooms I checked under the stalls for feet. Yup. I saw Maya's heels under the the third stall.

"Maya?" Sniffle. "Maya, what's wrong? You haven't cried since 5th grade." Another Sniffle.

I jiggled the stall's latch until it came loose and I stepped inside, shutting it behind me. I know what you're thinking.

Pause.

Okay, I know that I bad-talk Maya, and I'm sure she does it to me too, but hear me out. We're still sisters, and even though she's a real jerk sometimes, I know she wasn't always like that. She can be civil towards me at home, and she has enough heart in her that if she sees that I'm annoyed or sad or something she'll ask if anything was wrong. Of course, she always says something that helps me but then she makes a snarky comment and leaves.

Play.

Maya looked up at me through her hair, and I would have called it a glare, but she looked pretty pathetic. "What. Do you want?"

"What's wrong?" I asked. I sat down on the floor next to her.

"Would you believe me if I just said I hiccuped in front of everyone?" I stared at her in shock.

"I can't believe you, Maya." She looked at me again, this time with wider eyes.

"What?"

"That was the best excuse you could come up with?" I smiled when I finished, and realizing it was a joke, she did too. "No, I wouldn't and don't believe you."

"You know how much I love Nick." I nodded, not liking where this was going. "Well, I just heard that Dylan – you remember him right? - Well, he got into a car crash, and..." She burst out crying again. Dylan... was he dead?

"Why does this affect you loving Nick?" I asked.

"Do you think he'd hate it if I went to Dylan's... service?" I looked at her with a sad smile on my face.

"No Maya, I think he'd understand. I mean... It's not like he'd think you were cheating on him with Dylan..." I said, and she cried again. I put an uneasy arm around her. "It's alright," I said.

"Yeah, but what if he cheats on _me_ while I'm gone?" She said. I laughed.

"Maya, Nick is a gentleman. He would never."

"You think he is, but he can be really crude." I raised my eyebrows at this. "He makes really lame jokes that aren't even funny because they're so sexist." She cried. I wondered if she was crying at the lack of Nick's sense of humor or just because she was emotional.

"Even if he did, Maya, I would kick his derriere into next month."

"That's it!" Maya screamed. I heard someone come in the bathroom. "I love you soo much Max!" She tackled me into a hug, and I saw the feet halt and then run into the hall. This must sound so wrong...

"Wait, what's it?" I said, pushing her off me. She looked demented with black mascara marks coming from her eyes and her hair in disarray.

"You can act like you're me when I leave!" I was shocked into silence. "Come on, you already wanted to be me, why not now?"

"I only wanted to be you so I could humiliate you in front of your friends!" I said truthfully. She looked at me with scornful eyes. "Besides, how do you already know you're going?"

"I called Dad-"

"At work?"

"It was an emergency! I called him and he offered to bring me to Colorado. That's where he moved to." I sighed and rubbed my hands over my eyes.

"How long are you going to be?" She shrugged.

"Maybe a week?" I dropped my head into my hands and groaned.

"Does this mean you're considering it?" She asked hopefully.

"No, it means I'm wondering who's going to cook for me when you're gone and Mom's staying late at work. That's what it means."

"You can have Immy over whenever you want."

"Iggy," I corrected her. "And not a bad idea." Iggy, though he's blind – did I mention that before? - cooks really well. Like, better than Dad's breakfasts on the weekends.

"So, will you do it?" I looked at her suspiciously.

"Do I have to wear those stinking mini-skirts?" She thought about it.

"At least wear the longer ones. Lissa is always questioning my fashion taste, she won't like it if I don't wear one. She'll get suspicious. Oh, and Lissa likes Nick. She doesn't think I know, but don't let her get him alone."

"Alright."

"Oh, and no kissing or batting eyelashes. You can hug him if he wants to, but you better not get attached. I know that somewhere deep inside you is a girl who wants to date Nikki."

"You know, when you want something from me, you're awful nice." She smiled like it was something she did all the time.

"Yeah I know."

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**_R&R? YOU like? Or no?_  
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**_I know it's confusing, but I have the solution. I have to have SOMETHING to write about next chapter, don't I? OF COURSE!  
_**

**_So, if you're confused about "Max spying on 'Nick' as Maya", don't worry, because I have it all planned out.  
_**


	3. Wait Maya? Think This Through

**CHAPTER 3! I hope you guys like it!**

**It shows a little bit of Max and Maya getting into a friendship of sisters.**

**And, to CallMeSoldier, I just wanted to say that I think you're great. I know how tough it is to have a twin, {not from my own experience, of course} but my best friends Autumn and Rachel are twins, and you don't know how many times a day they fight over lunches, books, etcetera. Or step on my feet... and that hurts. But anyways, being a twin isn't easy. I think you have it good with that story you told me of Reed. {The twins' last name is Read! That's funny!}**

**AND: The twins {Which even some people at school can't tell apart} are always saying that when I draw people, "Oh, Annabelle, are you drawing me again?" And When Rachel gets to it first, Autumn says, "No, Rachel, you're ugly, she's drawing me!" And I laugh because they look so much alike... And my drawing looks nothing like them...**

**Anyways, you've actually helped to inspire me, so I thought you deserve a place in my Authors note! Which I don't know if anyone reads...**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter of ~Anything But~ Average, and thanks to all of you reviewers! You don't know how much it means to me that you don't even know me, so therefore don't have to review and tell me nice things. You do it because you care, and it's really encouraging and inspiring.**

**AND: I don't know if any of you caught it, but if Max changes places with Maya while she's in Colorado, even if "Nikki" was a gentleman anyways, he wouldn't cheat on her. SHE'S THERE.**

**You'll see what I mean. Besides, I hoped people would catch it so that I could tell them "Don't worry, it's all working out" and shiz.**

**I needed to have SOMETHING to write about next chapter, didn't I?**

**.Dez.**

**P.S. Even though I'm sure being a money maker with doing what you love AND are good at is fun, I'm don't. And I'm not as good as JP was in the first 3 books, so I'm obviously not JP... if that makes sense.**

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**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 3:**

**Wait... Maya? You Need to Think This Through**

"Max! Time to wake up!" I heard an incredibly annoying voice in my ear. What on Earth could she want to do with me this early on a Saturday flip-flopping _morning_?

"Maya, what is your problem?" I glanced over at my alarm clock. "It's ten o'clock on a Saturday morning!" I groaned and pulled a pillow over my head.

"Max, we have a big day ahead of ourselves. We need to find your pop look!" She squealed. I peaked my head out from under my pillow and gave her an incredulous look.

"Pop look? You're kidding me right?"

"Popular! If you're going to go in my place, you have to have the pops think your me. Duh." I threw a look her way, realizing I was either going on a shopping spree or going into Maya's closet. Both were fatal.

"Maya, about that," I started.

"Max, no way are you backing out yet." I smiled. She knew me well, but that wasn't what I was going to say. I was laying awake in bed last night going over her plan, when I realized a little flaw. If I was supposed to spy on Nick as Maya, Nick wouldn't try anything anyways. If "Maya" was there, he would just act normal. "And besides, if you're thinking about the little hole in our plan, I already have it figured out." She knew me _really_ well. "I'll relay the plan in full to you while we're trying out some clothes on you."

I followed Maya cautiously into her room, not bothering to change or brush my hair because I knew she would do it for me. She was like Nudge in a way. Although Nudge was my best friend, I knew better than to go over to her house. When we became friends in 3rd grade, she invited me over to her house...

I was never the same.

Maya was a lot like that. She still is, I'm guessing. But the problem with Maya? She makes me look like her. All Nudge did was give me strappy heels, make-up, and did my hair funky. How she had that stuff in third grade, I have no idea. Maya brought me into her small walk-in closet. It wasn't huge, but it was her 14th birthday gift from Dad, as well as a Khol's gift card. Mom got me a Cello to practice on. And a cookbook.

"So, Max. I'm thinking punk-poppy." She turned towards me with an inquisitive face. "What do you think?" I rolled my eyes.

"Punk? Yes. Poppy? No." I shook my head. "And you're not that punk-y, so I don't think it'll work."

"I wear punk-y things sometimes," Maya said. I shrugged.

"If you won't care about your reputation afterwards, then fine." She nodded and picked a hanger with a black, pleated skirt dangling from it. It wasn't a total mini, like usual, but it wasn't that long, either. It had a chain on it and it was actually kind of cute for a skirt. She passed it to me and brought out a pink crop-top with a gray tank top.

"Um... pink-"

"Isn't your thing, I know," she finished for me. I nodded. "Well it's a good thing you're not going to be you! Now go get changed in my bathroom and I'll explain the plan." I shrugged and walked into her bathroom. I tore off my pajamas and slipped the skirt on.

"Alright, Max. Here's what's going to happen." I slipped the belt that came with it into the desired hole so that it would fit. "I'm telling Nikki that I'm going to Colorado tomorrow night. He'll know by tonight."

"Wait, why are-"

"Just let me finish!" Okay, gosh. I fitted the skirt and then grabbed the gray tank-top from the counter. "I'm telling him so that it won't look like I'm doing something suspicious if he finds out it's really you. Because that seriously would look bad.

"No one else but mum, maybe, will know about this. Because, truthfully? If you started hanging out with my friends as you, they'd probably disown you. Oh, yeah, and no hanging out with Immy or Nudge, they'd get suspicious. It's no secret we're twins, anyways." I nodded, pulling the pink crop-top over my shoulders. I checked myself in the mirror.

"What you'll be doing while you're pretending to be me, is making sure that Lissa keeps her paws off Nikki. That's one thing."

"Why _do_ I have to be you, besides protecting Nick from Lissa? And it's Iggy, not Immy."

"If someone finds out that I'm in Colorado for some guy I used to love, rumors will start spreading all though out the high school. We can't have that. Besides, if I'm gone, who knows what might happen without me?" I came out the door. "Oooh, you look great in that!"

"Thanks. Maya, what are you're friends like? Who's who?" She smiled and passed me another outfit she'd picked out. She motioned for me to go into the bathroom and change. I slipped on a pair of the skinny jeans.

"Well, there's Lissa. I don't really like her that much, she's kind of a lutsay, if you know what I mean. Then there's Brigid, the blonde one. She's really smart, but the only cool thing about her is her style. She's kind of nerdy." I pulled on a neon blue tank top.

"And?"

"And I also hang out with Nick's little sister, Ella. Man, that girl has spark! She's probably my best friend of all."

"What's she like?" I pulled on a gray sweatshirt that was cut off near the middle.

"Ella? She's very cool. She has this air around her, it's just nice. She's actually kind of like Nudge. Very fashionable, except she's the more punk-y one. She wears mostly black, like Nick, but she's much more sociable than him. I think you'd like her, actually." I came out of the room.

"Well, no duh. You and me _are_ a lot alike." She looked at me like I was crazy, then took a look at my outfit.

"Hmm... try these." She passed my a pair of heels. Disdainfully, I took them and sat on her bed, pushing my feet into them. One of the things different about us? I have much bigger feet. Maya is like a seven, and I have a ten and a half. I looked up to her. "Well, I know what we're buying you at the mall!"

My eyes widened, and just as I was about to make a run for it, she caught my arm. "Nuh-uh-uh," she chided. "You promised you'd pretend to be me." She gave me an icy glare. I slumped my shoulders and nodded.

"Do I have to go inside?"

* * *

"Come on, Max! Let's go into this store!" Maya cheered. I grumbled and followed her in much less enthusiastically. She dragged me through isle after isle of clothes that would totally stink to wear. She grabbed some pink, some purple, some blue and some black. She claimed "These are the best colors on you!"

After a couple minutes of misery, I was thrust into a torture chamber to try the clothes on.

* * *

Once we got home, I dropped on the couch and Maya ran up with "our" clothes. She said that she'd pay for them all, because technically they were hers. I also pointed out that I wouldn't be wearing them other than this week. I also wanted to point out that me and Nick's project was due on Friday, but decided that would make her angry and didn't want to ruin her happy mood.

She came back down stairs with her cell phone. "Alright, it's five o'clock, so we're going to call him now."

"Wait, why did you just say 'we'?" I asked, pulling my head up from the arm rest.

"Because, I'm not doing it alone! What if he freaks out at me? You'll have to help me." I sighed and nodded. She started to dial his number, but I stopped her.

"Wait. Will I even be telling Nudge and Iggy?" Maya thought about it.

"Wouldn't it hurt their feelings if you were at school and couldn't hang out with you, or even say hi to you because it'll make me look bad?"

"Oh. Yeah, I guess." I knew she didn't mean it in a bad way, but I didn't like how she thought of my friends. She dialed Nick's number again and pressed the call button.

"Hello?" She paused. "Hey, Nikki... Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you... Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about... You remember Dylan from 5th grade, right? Yeah, um, I got a text in class from his parents, and they got in a car crash. He didn't..." She started to sniffle and looked my way. I motioned for the phone. She passed it to me.

"Look, Nick."

"Max?"

"No, Darth Vader. Listen, Maya fell in love with Dylan in fifth grade and when he moved away she was heart broken. He got in a car crash and didn't make it. She wants to know if you'd be alright with her going to Colorado for the week to make his service. Are you alright with it?"

"Yes, of course I am. I'm so sorry..." I rolled my eyes.

"She also wants me to pretend to be her while she's gone so no rumors start going around and so that Lissa-" Maya grabbed the phone from my hand. "What's wrong with you!" She whispered, holding a hand over her phone.

"What?"

"He doesn't need to know _that_ part! Gosh, Max." She put her phone back up to her ear. "Sorry. So, are you alright with it...?" Her tentative voice was quiet. "Oh, good... Um, I didn't really think about that. I'll ask." She covered her phone again. "He wants to know if it's alright with me if he comes over to work on the project or vice versa!"

"So?"

"SO? What do I say, moron?"

"_Are_ you alright with it? It's not like I like him. I'm your sister, I wouldn't like your boyfriend. **{A/N: lolololololololo Oh, Max.}** We don't have many study halls together, anyway." She frowned.

"Fine. Uh, Nick? Max said she doesn't care... No, it's alright. I don't mind." She smiled after a second or so. "Okay." She hung up and smiled at me.

"It's all set!"

* * *

**So? Tell me what you think!**

**Did this clear things up?**

**Anyhow, I have to go mow the lawn. Wish my klutzy self luck! I'm sure it'll be tons of fun... :P**

**:) R&R.**

**.Dez.**


	4. Day 1: Horribly NOT Maya

**Helloooo!**

**I realize I may have some mistakes, little ones such as grammar, and slightly bigger ones such as plot quirks. I TRIED!  
**

**I wrote this late last night, but I hope it isn't too bad.  
**

**I have lots of info on the story down below, but I shall put some here too.  
**

**Max's school is High-shchool, but they have another building that attaches to the cafeteria that holds middle school-ers.  
**

**Fang, (Who's nickname is coming up soon ^^) Iggy, Maya, Max, and Nudge are Freshman.  
**

**Ella is an 8th grader, and so is Dexie, and Sam and Mark are Freshman as well.  
**

**NEXT CHAPTER:  
**

**Oh boy, you're going to love the next chapter MR fans... I have it all working out... PERFECTLY.  
**

**And if you want to listen to a good song:  
**

**Seven Devils, by Florence + the Machine. It's mighty fine.  
**

**.Dez.  
**

**P.S. Do you guys really think that I own Maximum Ride? If you do, then just stop reading. _Right now._  
**

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

**Day 1: Horribly _N__ot _ Maya**

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Unghmfuffoffmyawroo?" I groaned out. I reached out towards my alarm clock and shut it off. I looked up to see what time it was. 7:15. "Mother!" I yelled and got out of bed. I had five minutes to get ready for school!

Maya had left last night sometime after a dinner with Nick. It wasn't that bad, Mom approved of him. He was very gentlemanly and pushed Maya's chair in for her. He didn't crack lame jokes, and he was sociable. Which was weird for him, because he was never very talkative. He definitely gained Dad's respect when he brought Maya a rose.

I personally thought it was a little sappy, but Maya seemed to like it, so I didn't comment. After dinner I went upstairs, and Maya followed when Nick had left. She started telling me how in love she was and how he was so sweet, and how he said something about how she looked very nice. I tuned it out after awhile, just because I don't do that sap-crap.

I dressed in my clothes and then looked to my bureau for my bag. I saw the clothes Maya had put out for me before she left.

"Oh crap." I grabbed them and stripped, pulling on the same black pleated skirt that I had tried on the day before yesterday. I grabbed one of the new shirts she had bought and pulled it on over a neon green tank top, the only green she actually approved of. The shirt was another crop top, which she apparently adores. It was purple and had a black rose on it. You know, the type that only has the shadows and contour lines? Yeah.

She also set out a pair of heels for me and a notebook full of things that she would say. I thought she was going a little over board, but I pulled on the black heels. I had told her yesterday that I wouldn't wear them without socks so we went and bought some for each day of the week. True, it looks different, and Maya would never wear it, but beggars can't be choosers. **{Cinderella! **_**I'm sorry, stepmother. She drifted right by me.**_** Well in that case, she can drift right out. Begone beggar! **_**Waif!**_** Raggamuffin!****}** The socks were gray with purple spots.

I put my hair up in a messy bun like I usually do, but let my bangs hang out. Maya said that it was alright with her if my hair was like this. She gave me her Aeropostale bag with all of her school stuff, including her schedule. She gave me an excuse to why "Max" wasn't going to be at school. Apparently I have mono.

"Great. Now how do I do this?" I looked at the bag of make-up Maya entrusted to me, and shrugged. "I'll just bring it to school and say I got up late. That'll work. Then I'll have one of my 'friends' apply it for me. Then, I'll ask if they can bring it to their locker because I have to go meet someone, and then I'll forget about it, and then have them do it again tomorrow! I'm brilliant!"

* * *

I got on the bus and was about to sit in my seat when I remembered that I wasn't Max anymore. Hmm... What seat does Maya sit in? Oh, right, 16. I sat there and waited for the bus to move.

"Maya, where's Max?" I heard the bus driver ask me.

"Uhh... she has mono...?" It came out as more of a question, but it satisfied the driver. He moved on to Iggy's stop a minute down the road and he got on with his two siblings. I saw Iggy get in his seat and wonder where I went. What would Maya say? I looked in the notebook Maya gave me to see if she wrote something in there. There were sections... Jeez, how long did it take Maya to make this?

Sure enough, there was a section on "Bus". I flipped to the 2nd page in the notebook and read the Bus section.

"Uhh, Immy... Max has mono, so she won't be on for a while." I read from the page. He looked back at me and nodded.

"Alright." He turned back around and sat in silence.

"But, um, she told me to say 'hi' to you, so... Hi." He turned slightly and barely gave me a smile. Dejected, I sat down lower into my seat and thought of how much I would hate to be Maya on a regular basis.

* * *

Once we came up to the school, I went to my locker. A moment later I felt someone grab my hand and lead me over somewhere else. I looked to see Nick.

"Hey! What the -" He put a hand over my mouth.

"Now, I don't know about you, _Maya,_ but I thought you knew your locker was over here." He smirked. I blushed and shook my head.

"I was... just making sure I remembered where Max's locker was so I could collect all of her homework for her..." My eyes widened as I realized what this meant. "Oh my gosh, I'm going to have to do both of our homework!" I looked at him with shock. He smiled.

"She told me not to tell you." I shut my mouth and glared at him. I grumbled.

"Hey, Nick. Do you know where your sister is?" I asked him. He nodded and stared at me, waiting for me to go on.

"I don't know how to... make-up...?" He smiled.

"She's in Mrs. McCarthy's home room." I nodded. "Come on, you don't need her to do your make-up. I know how to do make-up." He grinned and I was temporarily blinded while I tried to shake my head. He led me into the boys bathroom and to the mirrors. I closed my eyes not wanting to see anything else than the mirror. I passed him Maya's make-up bag.

* * *

"Looking gooood," Nick said. I stared into the mirror. I was surprised, but Nick did do a good job. I looked just like Maya. I didn't even think of me being Max, that's how good it was. "I drabble in lots of art. I do Ella's make-up sometimes." I was so surprised at this that my jaw hung open. I nodded.

"Okay, I'm going to homeroom." I made my way out the door and started towards the left. Nick grabbed my arm, making me trip in my heels. I looked at him. "Let's pretend that I just got over mono and am slightly insane. Sound good?" He shrugged and nodded. Nick led me to the right of the hall and to a room labeled 24. He stood by one of the chairs and motioned for me to sit and he sat beside me. While we waited for the bell to ring, I took out the note book that Maya had shoved in my... her bag. I started to read from the beginning.

_Max. I don't know if you'll read this from the beginning, but it has to start somewhere, right? So, in this notebook I wrote down some things that I would do in different situations. You probably already made up some lame excuse to say hi to Iggy, but I don't care. _

_ I made sections for you, because I don't really have lots of time to do a walkthrough of each day._

_ Bus:_

_ If Lissa get's on, which she usually doesn't, than just say Hi and make some general. What you did over the weekend, how much you love her clothes, and the like. Just don't do anything to ruin my reputation._

_ If you need to tell someone where Max is, simply repeat; "Max has mono and won't be in for a while. Can I take a message?" If you're talking to Immy, than just say that you said Hi or something. Blah blah blah, I don't know._

_ First Period: Math _

_ I have Math with Nick, so he can tell you where I sit. Do as best as you can, take notes, and don't ask too many questions. Have Nick help you if you need, because I don't know if you'll get everything in AP. No offense. _

_ Second Period: Anatomy_

_ I don't know who I have in this class that could tell you where I sit. Um... you're on your own. You'll figure it out. So, just take notes, because that's really all I do in class. If she gives you time to do homework, ignore that and study your notes, because I only do homework at home so that I have full attention on it._

_ Third Period: English_

_ You have English with me, so you know where I sit. I don't have anything with Lissa, Ella, or Brigid until after lunch, so there isn't much for you to say. If Mr. Chinneth calls on you, just... you know what I do. And only talk to Nudge if she asks about you, because I know that girl can get info from you. Just... BE STRONG!_

_ And work with Nick on your project, but act like your doing your project with him. Do you get what I mean? It's kind of confusing. Here:_

_ Teacher: Maya, aren't you working on your project alone?_

_ You: Well, of course. But Max has mono, and since I'm such a wonderful sister, and I'm almost done mine anyways, I'll help my sister and work on hers with Nick. _

_And then just smile. Trust me, he'll buy into it._

_ Fourth Period: Lunch_

_ Mind you, this is only on Orange days, so I have lunch 5__th__ period on Black days. {I shall make you another schedule for Black days} But you can just sit at my table with Nick and my friends. Talk strictly to Ella if you can, but you can converse with the others. There are a few more people who sit there. Mark, Sam, Dexie, {she's pretty cool, you can sit by her and talk to Ella, they're best friends, too.} and Lena. You'll know who's who quickly. _

_ Fifth Period: French_

_ You have French on Black days, right? Yeah, you can just go there and do whatever. I don't excel in it like you do anyways._

_ Sixth Period: Science_

_ This is the last period of the day, so you need to be especially good to Mrs. Dun. I have a reputation for being the most well behaved. Nick has this class with you, so he'll just show you where you sit. _

Why did I feel like this was some covert-operation?

* * *

The bell rang and I stood to go to the math room. Only to remember that I didn't have AP like Maya, so I didn't know where the room was. I looked to Nick. He rolled his eyes and motioned for me to follow him. A blonde girl with bright green eyes looked over at me with an odd look.

"That's Brigid," Nick whispered to me. I smiled at her without turning to look at him. Her odd look still stayed, but I felt a hand slip into mine. Before I could slap it away and tell the person off, Nick pulled me forward. "Maya and I always hold hands." Even though I was uncomfortable with it, I let him hold my hand.

* * *

At lunch, I sighed with relief as I sat down at the table. Nick still held my hand. The only time we weren't was when were in class, or in the halls without each other. I picked out Ella right away.

"Hey, Lissa. Ella, Brigid," Nick pointed out for me with his eyes. I smiled in return. Ella had black hair, just like Nick, and though they both had olive skin tones, she had lighter eyes than him. Nick's eyes were more black, and Ella's eyes were more of a chocolatey brown.

"Hey, Ella. Brigid, Lissa." Some girl came up next and sat beside me. She had punk-y clothing like Ella, but no skirt. Just purple skinny jeans, combat boots and a black shirt with a skull. She had dark brown hair with bright purple streaks. **{A/N: I have purple streaks, just saying.}** I guessed that this was the "Dexie" Maya had mentioned. "Dexie." I looked at Nick through my peripherals just to make sure, and he nodded in a subtle manner.

Turning back to Dexie, she smiled at me. "Hey, Maya." Three more people sat down next, and I realized who was who right away. Sam I had seen in some of my classes before. Lena was a girls' name, and the only girl that came had almond shaped eyes, with creamy skin. She wore something similar to Lissa's mini-skirt and tank top, and then Mark was the only boy left, with brown hair.

We sat and talked. I realized that not all of what Maya talked about was petty crap, but some of it was serious stuff. I came to think that maybe Maya wasn't as shallow as I thought her to be. Maybe she wasn't even that bad.

Last period science, I waited for the bell to ring as we were having some "home work time." I scoffed to think about it. Nick nudged me with his foot.

"Hey, we going to work on our project tonight? Didn't get much done in English," he said shortly. I shrugged.

"If you want to come over, we can. Mom will be home, but I'll have to get changed back into my regular clothes before she get's home."

"Mrs. Walker doesn't know?" **{A/N: I bet you guys' eyes are wide, :)}**

"Nope."

"Oh."

* * *

**Oh, and just so you know, Max's father's name is Raymond. There's no need to be shocked, no one is named Ray in the series. It's my stepdad's name. **

**I want you to know, I will be including the terrible Gasman and Angel. Just not yet. And, Jeb and Dr. Martinez will be included, as you can guess. **

** I had something else I wanted to say, but I forgot. So, yeah. **

**For any of you who happened to read the Sisters Grimm series, I almost got the book tonight.**

**But I didn't. It's very sad. Instead it's coming Monday WHILE I'M AT SCHOOL :/ But at least I'm getting it!  
**

**Anyways, R&R!**

**.Dez.**

**P.S. Maximum Ride, Maya Walker, Fang Martinez, Lissa Itchbay {just kidding, it's Lissa Mammoth :D} and Brigid Dwyer.**

**And if you REALLY wanna know? Iggy Batchelder.**

**Yeah, I switched things up a bit.**

**I should probably work on a mother's day gift for my mother... After I do my chores, of course...  
**

**READ: Don't be afraid to comment if something doesn't make sense. I was really tired, alright? :D  
**


	5. Day 1 Part 2: The Project Decision

**READREADREADREADREADREAD: **

**To Anon13, an anonymous reviewer, you might have read my stuff on dA, or... Iunno where else. But if you go to "december-eklipse" dot "deviantart" dot "com" you might recognize me. But that's some of my older, crappy stuff. My semi good stuff is on here. :)  
**

**So, I finally finished the chapter! I hope I didn't take too long that I lost my readers... Review if you're still here!**

**Also, there are a couple songs in here, and I'd like it if you kept them mine. I wrote these, and I do not give permission for anyone to use them, even though I wish you could hear the tunes to them... Maybe I'll record it with my cousin Hal sometime... She's great, she actually go the tunes on her guitar. The first song is written by me, tune by Hal, and the second song is by Hal, performed by me. Hallee wrote it for me to sing for my grandparents festival a year or two ago, but I never sang it in front of the crowd, I don't do that unless it's drama! 3 Anyways, I just wanted to let you guys know that.  
**

**Anyways, I will update as soon as I can, but I'm graduating from eighth grade soon, I have lots of crap to do for some people, and I'm still trying to get a list of what needs to be done.  
**

**Also, lots of these things in the story are real-life things that have happened. Annabelle? That's me. Stephen? My older brother. Esther? My older sister. Nick? My dream boy- um... Keisha, Rebekah, and Hallee? A few of my cousins. Even some of the events are true-to-life things, like the guy in the last song? He was my brother.  
**

**JUST KEEP THAT STUFF IN MIND.  
**

**AND: Things that have been getting confuzzled:  
**

**I don't know if I said that Max's last name was Ride, but it's Walker. Sorry if I did to confuse anyone. I didn't mean it. Things will be getting clear soon, but I've gotten a ton of new ideas for the story, so you should be happy!  
**

**So, if you have any more questions, just ask and I'll be happy to answer them!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Muppets, Kirby, or Doughboy. 'Nough said.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**Day 1 Part 2: The Project Decision **

"So, Nick, what would you like to do our project on?" I asked him as we settled on the couch. I'd collected all of the craft materials for a project and laid them out on the floor. I looked to Nick as he shrugged.

"I dunno."

Well, he's a talkative one, ain't he? I sighed and shook my head. "Well, here's the list of topics." I said and pulled a paper out of my bag. While he looked it over, I heard the front door open and gasped.

"Crap, I'll be right back, I have to change!" I ran upstairs without waiting for a response and slammed my door shut. I rushed to my dresser and pulled out some Colby sweatpants and a tee-shirt. Once I had those on, I pulled a black hoodie on.

I ran back downstairs and hopped onto the couch.

I know what you're thinking, but before you ask any questions, Maya and I decided _not_ to tell Mom and Dad.

Mum walked in and kissed my hair. "Hey honey, how was your day?" She asked, waving to Nick and resting a hand on my shoulder. I smiled.

"Nothing special, but it wasn't bad or anything." She nodded as I choked down a smile.

"Alright. Well, I'm going to be in the office," she said, walking out. She caught herself as she walked out the door. "Oh, and your brother called. He wants to meet up sometime this week. I was thinking we could meet at the airport with Maya or something, instead of riding all the way up to Maine." I nodded.

"Is Esther going to be there?" I asked. "Yes, I'm pretty sure she's meeting up with us. And Annabelle might, too. She's pretty busy in New York. She's getting her book published, you know!" She said excitedly. My eyes widened.

"The one about Princess DezEmbra of the Frozen?" She grinned and nodded, then left without another word. I turned back to Nick.

"You have more than one sibling?" He asked.

"Maya didn't tell you?" That's weird... Nick shook his head.

"Oh, and by the way, these aren't topics. They're your 'I hate Maya' notes." He smirked at me and I blushed.

"Oh, those are from last week..." I said, making a move to grab them back. He pulled them out of reach and I growled.

"You really think I'm the perfect boyfriend?" He crooned smugly. My eyes narrowed.

"No. It was just another thing to be mad at. Comprende? Now give me the paper." I lunged for it again. He wrenched his arm to the side and instinctively I veered to the right to follow it. Unfortunately, I fell off the couch with a yelp. Unfortunate for him, not for me. While he was chuckling, I lifted my head up and sent my Glare of Doom his way. He stopped, and I bared my teeth at him.

"Run." His eyes widened and as he realized what I meant. He got off the couch so fast I almost didn't see it. Almost. Instead, I ran after him as fast as I could. He ran up the stairs, hoping to throw me off, but I turned and ran upstairs too. Once he got up there, he realized he didn't know where to turn, so he was just running through the halls. Somehow, we circled back and he ran towards the hall with the stairs. As soon as I turned the corner, however, he wasn't there. No running Nick, no panting Nick. He wasn't there. I walked to the steps to see if he'd gone down and was waiting for me, but I didn't see him there either.

"Rawr." I heard a deep voice behind me. I jumped and screamed as I felt myself fall towards the stairwell. Nick caught my wrist before I could tumble down, but I was still breathing hard. I looked at him.

"Thanks." I thought for a minute, then grabbed the paper from his hands and ran back downstairs to shove it back in my bag and get the real paper. I was about to look up the stairs to call to Nick, but something black caught my eye. I looked, and lo and behold, there was Nick. I gasped and stared.

"Will you quit that?"

"Quit what, breathing?"

"Vampires don't breathe."

"Good thing I'm not a vampire."

"I'm sorry, I thought I saw you sparkle."

"No, sadly I'm not a fairy."

"Maybe you're a different type of vampire."

"Maybe I'm not a vampire at all."

"That's a lie. How else could you reappear like that?"

"I don't know."

"I need to find your vampire name."

"I have a vampire name?"

"Yep."

"Why haven't I been notified of this?" Nick said, feigning mock hurt. I shrugged.

"Maybe you weren't at the top of the list of 'need to know.'" He rolled his eyes at me.

"Yeah, because it's not _my_ vampire name or anything."

"So you admit that you're a vampire?"

"No."

"Will you at least admit that you're _part_ vampire?"

"Will it stop this silly argument?"

"Maybe."

"Fine," Nick sighed. "A very miniscule part of me might be, in a small way, sort of like a vampire." Deciding to be fine with it, I shrugged it off and watched as Nick read the piece of paper.

"You know these aren't topics, right?" He asked me. I shook my head. I grabbed it from him, and at the top of the sheet were the words, "Types of Projects". I frowned.

"Now how are we supposed to come up with ideas?" I scanned the list and just as I was about to suggest a poster, Nick ripped it away.

"The only ones I'm willing to do are the following: painting and poem, persuasive essay, book report, song, poem... and those are just the mostly non-embarrassing ones." He finished and looked at me.

"Um. Well, can you even draw?"

Silence, then, "I can. But it'll take longer than a week to do something awe-amazing."

"Yeah, even with both of us doing it. Wait," I thought. "What is this whole project based on?" I fiddled with a drawstring on my hoodie and shifted so that I was sitting on top of my feet.

"Mr. Chinneth just wants us to create a project that makes people think twice. To bring out our creative talents or something. To make ourselves realize that we have something to be proud of."

I nodded. "So what's next on the list?"

"We can both write persuasive essays, I know that."

"But do you want to?" I asked.

"Not really."

"Okay, so we could read a book and make a book report...?" He shook his head.

"I don't read books in two weeks," he said, shaking his head.

"I can write poetry. Maybe we could turn something into a song?" I asked, kind of shyly. I'd never sung in front of anyone except family, so I was almost hoping he'd say, "I wouldn't have anything to contribute with."

"Um, I can sing, kind of, but I play guitar better," he said almost as uneasily as I had. I nodded, near to disappointment. But then, I could use this to my advantage, maybe people wouldn't just see the outside of me. Maybe their shallow minds would look deeper than the surface.

"Yeah, I sing. And I have a ukulele." His eyes brightened and I smiled. "I'll go get it." I ran upstairs and I found my poetry journal, grabbed my ukulele case, and thought for a minute if I would regret this. Realizing it was too late to do anything now, I walked downstairs and sat stiffly on the couch as I passed him my journal. He looked through some of the poetry, and shut it.

"You're amazing. Truly, I'm just thinking maybe we should write the song together." He looked up at me through his long hair and I shrugged.

"Sure. How good are you with coming up with the chords?" I asked. He smiled.

"That's what I'm good at. Here," he motioned towards the case in my hand. I shrunk back involuntarily. "Can I see your ukulele?" I cringed but passed it over.

"Be careful with Ride," I said.

"What? You named it Ride?" He questioned. I glared.

"Have a problem with it?"

"No. Not at all. So," he discreetly changed the subject. "What are the strings?"

"G, C, E, A." I said with an automatic snap. He rose his eyebrows but I brushed it off. He nodded.

"Righty." I watched as he tried to figure out what to do.

"Here." I walked over and helped him place his fingers to make the G chord. Then the C, and then the D. "Those are the most common ones." He strummed his fingers against the plastic strings.

"It sounds nice." He started to get more elaborate with the tune and I sat back and watched. He took my journal and flipped to a page in the book towards the middle. He started to hum along, and slowed the tune some. "It'd be much better with my guitar," he mumbled so quietly I thought I didn't hear him. A minute or two later, he sang the words I'd written on my paper and my stomach flipped. Not to sound interested or anything, but isn't it attractive when a normal, non-famous guys sings?

Or is it just me?

"I hear the music," he started. I almost groaned because of the song he'd chosen, but listened anyways. "Bleedin' through the trees. A sweet melody." He went up high on "sweet" and my stomach fluttered again. "Flyin' through the breeze. I hear the music, whispering a dream, and from where I sit, it sounds like you and me, singin': Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm." I hummed along with him at the end, getting a feel for the tune. He didn't lie, he was decent.

"I hear the music, in the colors falling down. Wish you could hear it, while your far-" We had to go up high again and laughed when our voices broke, but we continued. "-from this town. I'd walk every mile, to be with you and reminisce, just to see you smile, for just a little bit, and sing: Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm." At this point we were both smiling and he sang high harmony while I continued the melody. It was hard sometimes, because he didn't know where I was going with the tune, and I didn't know how it would sound with the ukulele, but it was fun regardless.

"Because I can't hold your hand from this far away. And I can't sweep the hair from your face." I paused slowly in the slow music between the last two words, and then proceeded. "And we can't sing... Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm. We can't sing... mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm." We finished with a slow ending.

"Did you come up with that?" He asked. I smiled.

"When I was up in Maine a couple summers ago, Hal and I were fooling around in the car to New Hampshire with my Aunt. She was moving, so, we brought our stuff and wrote a song while Keisha and Rebekah were sleeping. **{A/N: Half of that is true. We were actually already at Lainey's outside. We had already gotten there, and Ruba and Kish were inside, wide awake. :) }**

He nodded. "It's nice. What other stuff do you have in here..." He searched through the book and paused at one page. He read it through. I glanced at the page and started to feel queezy.

"Uh..." I stuttered awkwardly. "That one Hallee wrote herself. Um, it already has a tune." I scratched my neck, wishing Nick would go home, thinking of other ways to get him to leave it alone.

"Would you sing it?" He asked, not looking up for a second, then looking me dead in the eye. How could I say no? Have you ever stared into his eyes? Of course you haven't. I sighed and took my ukulele and the journal. I tuned Ride in the way that Hallee had taught me to for this song.

"O'er in the field by the river, the tall gangly pines give him shade. A song from his bow melts the winter, and he's singin' my sorrows away." I could already tell that this was a bad idea, my throat was choking up. "I can recall a sweet summer, and it couldn't feel farther away. Hearing the laugh of my brother, how I wish he were with me today." I moved my head til' my hair moved in front of my face so Nick wouldn't see.

"O'er in the field by the river, the tall gangly pines give him shade. A song from his bow melts the winter, and he's singin' my sorrows away." I slowed down my strumming and sung quietly, but loud enough to hear. "I stand alone on the hilside. Fix my heart as it falls out of place. Misty brown eyes watch the blue sky, for a sign of your beautiful face." Tears dripped off my face from the second stanza and I felt Nick mover closer to me on the couch. "O'er in the field by the river, the tall gangly pines give you shade. A song from your bow melts the winter, and you're singin' my sorrows away."


	6. Day 2: OoO

**Helloo!**

******I updated pretty fast, I think, and I hope you like this one! It's a MEGA LONG CHAPTER! 4080 words without the Authors note! Which happens to be very short, because I don't have much to say, except:  
**

******1, Thanks to all who reviewed! I'm glad you like my songs, and I have another one all ready for Max and Fang's project! Oh, and next chapter you'll get the nick name!  
**

******2, The song in this is Misery Business by Paramore! WATCHA!  
**

******Disclaimer: If I owned Maximum Ride, I would never have written books 4-7. Righty?  
**

* * *

******~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 6:**

**Day 2: O.O**

After I sang the song, Nick had asked me if I wanted to talk about it. I shook my head so he thankfully changed the subject. Instead, he told me that he could bring his guitar to my house tomorrow so we could work something out. Once he left, I curled up in bed and didn't bother coming out for supper.

When I woke this morning, I trudged over to my dresser, pulled out a dark purple skirt, black cutout tights, and a blue tee-shirt that had the shoulders cut off. Black tendrils swirled around on it, and I picked a plain pair of black strappy heels to complete the outfit.

I checked myself in the mirror. Crap, I gotta brush out my hair... I found the brush and ran it through my hair a couple times. I braided the side hair on one side of my face in the same way Maya showed me, and then I let it hang down. I scooped up all the rest of my hair and slopped it into the same bun it was in yesterday. Then I took the braid and wrapped it around the bun until it looked alright, and proceeded to pin it up with some bobby-pins.

I finished any homework that I hadn't done the night before, and then I trudged downstairs with all of Maya's crap. I got a bowl of cereal with a banana and ate silently and alone. I wanted so badly to sit with Iggy as I walked up the bus steps with all of Maya's things, but it wasn't going to happen. Maya would never do that.

Instead, I forced myself to walk to seat 16 and just take out Maya's notebook to read the schedule for today. I didn't even bother to look and see if anyone I knew got on.

_ Max. Day 2, Black day, I don't have a totally different schedule. I'll put what I do have here, and I'll give new descriptions for the ones where you haven't been in it yet._

_ First Period: Math _

_ Second Period: Social Studies_

_ Nick and I have S.S. Together, so just have him show you what to do, because my hand is getting tired._

_ Third Period: Lunch_

_ You have lunch with some of the same people, but Ella won't be there. Dexie will, and talk mostly to her and Nick. They're the safest pick._

_ Fourth Period: Geography_

_ Again, my hand is getting tired, and you basically know how to be me already, right? Of course you do._

_ Fifth Period: Music_

_ You definitely won't have a problem with this. I know you didn't sign up for it, but it'll be good for you. And before you make fun of me for taking this, I thought it might at least help me to be able to play something. "You" play the ukulele. They said it was the easiest thing to learn, so I took it on, and you'll definitely own it._

_ Urm, Nick is in Music, and I'm pretty sure Dexie is too. She's in eighth grade, but she's very musically gifted, and I usually sit by her._

_ AND DON'T TELL ANYONE I CAN'T SING! THAT'S A SECRET I KEEP VERY WELL HIDDEN._

_ Sixth Period: Science_

_ So, just remember, no talking to Immy or Nudge. That's a big no-no. And keep an eye on Lissa._

The bus let us off at school and we all piled out, making our way to our respective lockers. Nick leaned next to Maya's as I got stuff our for today. "Need your makeup done?" He asked. I nodded without looking at him.

Nick led me into the boys bathroom again. "Do guys ever come in here?" I asked. It looked deserted and bare.

"Nah. They think it's haunted." I nodded. "People can be pretty dumb," he laughed.

"You don't think it is?" I asked as he patted something onto my eyelids.

"Nope. I think they're just being silly."

"Oh." We sat in silence until he was finished. He rested his hands on either side of me as he inspected how he did. He was close enough that I could feel his breath, but I ignored it. He sighed and let me hop off the counter.

We we walked to homeroom in silence. Nick took my hand in his as Brigid walked by and we kept it up when we sat on our desks. Lissa walked over to us.

"Oh my gosh, guys!" She said, addressing both of us but looking solely at Nick. "There's a play on Friday night! And everyones going to hang out afterwards to dance and stuff! We should all go. I hear the play's going to be a Cinderella knock off or something." She smiled brightly and Nick and I had the urge to squeeze his hand harder.

"Okay, Lissa. That's great. Have you told Brigid?" I asked through clenched teeth. I saw Nick look over and smirk, but I wasn't really paying attention. Lissa thought for a moment, smile faltering.

"Oh, yeah, I guess I should. I could go talk to her about it..." She walked away hesitantly, throwing one last smile at Nick.

"So, _Maya,_" Nick said and looked to me. I rose an eyebrow in question. "You're pretty good at acting. You almost had _me_ convinced that you were jealous. You sure it was pretend?" He crooned. I let go of his hand and wrenched my arm away in disgust. I looked away with my nose up.

"I was not jealous, so there was nothing to pretend."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," I snapped at him. "Leave me be. I don't need to deal with your ignorance."

"Oh, come on," Nick looked over at me and smiled but I stuck my tongue out. "You know I'm irresistible." I rolled my eyes.

"Hardly. And besides," I continued, "It wouldn't matter even if you were irresistible, you're still a nuisance."

"Hmph."

Once the bell rang, I hurried off to AP Calc, which I would never be able to get a good grade in. _Sorry Maya, but this week you're getting a horrible grade in homework. At least for Math._

* * *

The rest of that day was quite uneventful. At least, until Music class. This wasn't a required class, so naturally Maya had to take it. Even though she and I both know she can't even keep a beat. I wish I could have brought Ride if I had to play ukulele.

I found my way to Nick's locker.

"Hey, what do we need for music?" I asked. He replied without looking at me, shoving stuff in his locker.

"Nothing, just put your stuff in your locker."

"Righty." I did as he said and then found him again. He took my hand and led me through the halls.

"So, how has your second day been so far?" He asked, squeezing my hand. I frowned.

"Eh. It's been kind of normal for a switch. Actually, no. I take that back. AP Calc is _not_ normal. How people can sit through that and not drool on their desks is beyond me." He smiled and looked at me.

"Oh, it's not that bad." He looked ahead for a moment and we turned into another hall. "Well, actually, yeah it is. I barely got any homework done because there was this annoying buzzing in my ear asking me 'What does this sign mean? What does this say?'" He looked at me pointedly.

"Guilty." I blushed and we entered a room. I saw Dexie immediately and let go of Nick's hand. I ran over to her and sat down. "Hey! What's up?" She looked over at me with her guitar and smiled.

"Hey, Maya." She mindlessly picked at her guitar, and I watched. "What?"

"What are you playing?" I asked, curious. "It sounds really pretty."

"Oh, this? It's nothing, really. I just-" I shushed her.

"Did you write it?"

"Hah, no. It's just a song I heard, I'm learning it by ear. I can't find the notes, it's not a very common song." I nodded in interest, staring at her fingers move up and down the neck. Her guitar was beautiful, black with a purple pick guard. She even had neon strings. I almost said something, but realized that Maya had probably already seen it before. That's me; always thinking ahead!

"Well, it's really cool. It kind of sounds... deathly. Hah, deathly melody-" My eyes widened and I stared. _Deathly melody..._ Now if that doesn't inspire a song writer, then what does? Ideas started running through my head and I didn't even respond when Dexie tried getting my attention.

"Maya? Maya!" She sang. "Earth to Maya!" Nick came over.

"Maya?" He waved a hand in front of my face. I looked up at him.

"I know what we're doing for our project." I said. He looked around.

"You mean you have an idea for Max and I's project?" He smirked. I rolled my eyes and nodded.

"It's more of me and your project now that Max has _mono_," I said in a goofy voice. He grinned.

"Yeah, maybe. Just tell her that she's a jerk for leaving me to do my project with you." I hit him on the arm and looked to Dexie.

"So, you gonna tell me what song that was?" I asked. She smiled.

"It's Gotye, Somebody I Used to Know," she strummed a chord and looked down at her guitar. "My little Eklipse knows all the chords by heart," she cooed. I rose an eyebrow.

"Man, does everyone name their instrument?" I asked her. She frowned.

"I did, but I don't know anyone else."

"My sister did, she has a ukulele named Ride." I offered.

"Quite unusual girl, she's really different." Nick faked an English accent and I smacked him again.

"Don't talk about my beautiful, wonderful, amazing, talented, lovely and sweet-"

"Sweet?"

"-Sister that way," I said, glaring at him, suppressing a smile. "Did you name your guitar, Nick?"

"Yup."

"What?"

"Okay, class, sit in your seats. We're having that guest speaker come in today, so be on your best behavior." She sat at her desk and opened her laptop. Seconds later, after we all sat at our desks, we heard a door open and a familiar voice followed in towards the front of the room, and I was frozen. Could it really be...?

"Hey, everybody!" A female said. Not any female... "I've been asked to come here as a guest speaker. Apparently you won a contest for this school, and this is your prize! Hooray!" I looked up at flaming yellow and orange hair.

"So, I know this isn't a concert or anything, but they asked me to talk to you guys about music. How you get in the business, how to create new songs, how to get _inspired..._" I looked at her in the eyes and knew I wasn't dreaming. "So, I prepared some index cards and gathered up some useful things.

"I'm not going to tell you how. You have to find your own routine, your own way for doing all of that. But I'll tell you how I did it, and give you some tips. I don't know how you guys do it, but take notes if you want."

I tuned out some of the following. I was too stunned that _Hayley Williams_ was here giving us a lecture on how she became... _her._ Hayley Williams... You know, the lead singer from Paramore? My all time favorite band? Yeah, her. I tuned back in when I heard something very interesting.

"So, in light of that, let's see some talent! Who has that in here? Everyone can raise their hands, I know you had to audition to get in." She smiled at us, and I raised my hand nonchalantly, like I couldn't care less that she was here.

"Righty, so keep your hands up if you want to show it off!" Without registering what she said in my shorted out brain, I kept my hand up. "You!" I looked around to see who she meant, but no one was raising their hand. Except me...

Frozen to my seat, my expression was probably equal to a gazelle's when they're being chased by a cheetah. Frightened.

"Come on, girly." Hayley came up the isle and pulled me to my feet. I followed lamely, and she asked me something I didn't hear.

"What?" I asked, looking to her and shaking my head. I looked at everyone in the classroom. Dexie was excited and Nick looked... well, he didn't look anything. That brick wall...

"What do you do?" She asked, laughing at my absentmindedness.

"Oh, um, I play ukulele and sing." I mentally whacked myself on the head after that last word slipped out. Maya can't sing...

"Nice! Where's your uke?" She asked. I almost said, "At home." But then I remembered that Dexie said Maya played a uke here. Nick ran up to me with a ukulele, and I thanked him.

"Right here," I joked. She laughed and I smiled brightly.

"Right. Want to sing the class a song?" She asked. I nodded but then remembered I don't even have a song picked out. She noticed my hesitation, and smiled. "Well, okay, just pick one that you know by heart. Maybe you sing it in the shower, while your jogging..." She laughed at her own joke and a few other kids laughed along with her. My laugh was nervous.

"Okay..." I knew a couple songs by heart. But...

I moved my hand to her ear and she only had to bend down a little. "Can I sing one of your songs?" I asked her. She pulled away and grinned incredulously.

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" She looked to the class. "I'm flattered." She blushed and I looked to my two friends. Dexie was grinning widely now, and Nick had a question on his face. I stared at the empty seat in between them, deciding it would be better than staring at someone. I strummed the four strings of the ukulele.

"Um, it's not going to sound the same without all of the other instruments." I said to Hayley Williams.

"Ah, that's alright. Just do what you can. Improvise, lot's of people do it when something doesn't go according to plan." She smiled encouragingly at me and sat in my seat. Well, looks like no more staring at no one for me. I strummed the ukulele fast and hard, moving my fingers up and down the fret-board when needed.

"I'm in the business of misery, let's take it from the top. She's got a body like an hourglass that's ticking like a clock. It's a matter of time before we all run out, When I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth." I sang in the same way I played: hard and fast. It was almost like a rap, but it was still really cool. "I waited eight long months, She finally set him free. I told him I couldn't lie he was the only one for me. Two weeks and we had caught on fire, She's got it out for me, But I wear the biggest smile." Lots of people were smiling and "ya-hoo!"ing at this point, and it gave me courage to look at them. I stared at Nick, Dexie and Hayley for the most part.

"Whoa, I never meant to brag, But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, it was never my intention to brag, To steal it all away from you now. But God does it feel so good, Cause I got him where I want him now. And if you could then you know you would. Cause God it just feels so... It just feels so good." I slowed it back down to do the next verse.

"Second chances they don't ever matter, people never change, Once a whore you're nothing more, I'm sorry, that'll never change." People looked at me with surprise on their faces, even Nick, but I just smiled and rolled my eyes. "And about forgiveness, we're both supposed to have exchanged. Sorry honey, but I passed it up, now look this way. Well, there's a million other girls who do it just like you; Looking as innocent as possible to get to who they want and what they like. It's easy if you do it right Well, I refuse, I refuse, I refuse.

"Whoa, I never meant to brag, But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, it was never my intention to brag, To steal it all away from you now. But God does it feel so good, Cause I got him where I want him now. And if you could then you know you would. Cause God it just feels so... It just feels so good." I slowed the next part down to do the climax of the song.

"I watched his wildest dreams come true, And not one of them involving you, Just watch my wildest dreams come true," I sped it up gradually. "Not one of them involving-" I did a small break on my ukulele and people clapped, including Hayley.

"Whoa, I never meant to brag, But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, I never meant to brag But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, it was never my intention to brag, To steal it all away from you now. But God does it feel so good, Cause I got him where I want him now. And if you could then you know you would. Cause God it just feels so... It just feels so good." It slowed and I finished the song with a flourish on the uke, swinging my arm up after I strummed it hard.

People stood up and clapped, and I was so surprised at this, that I think I blushed. I didn't look any of them in the eye. Hayley come up to me and took my by the shoulders.

"Holy crap, girl, that was great! What's your name?"

"Maya..." I wanted to tell her Max so bad...

"Well, Maya, you seriously have talent! Oh, and nice song choice!" I smiled sheepishly and thanked her, sitting down. People held up hands for me to high-five them, and I did. Dexie nudged me.

"Maya, you're great!" She whispered to me.

"Ha, thanks."

"Wow, that was amazing! I think she actually sang that better than the original version! Oh, wait..." Some people who knew the song laughed along with her. Nick wasn't one of them. He looked to me quizzically.

"I just sang her song." He nodded.

"Oh."

After the bell rang, Hayley pulled me aside while everyone left. "You're name isn't Maya." She said. I stared at her like an elephant would if a Kangaroo came up and said, "Mama," to it.

"Um, yeah it is." What did _she_ know?

"You don't act like a Maya." What the crap is her problem?

"Um, well I am. Maybe you don't know a Maya like me."

"I don't know any Mayas." She said. I stared at her, thinking that my favorite band's lead singer might be crazy.

"Point proven." I turned to get out of the room when Hayley grabbed my arm.

"Max, don't even try to hide." I whipped my head around.

"What- how... what?" She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I know you have a twin. And I know you switched."

"What-"

"Max," Hayley sighed. "I was the person to judge auditions, that was how you guys won the contest. I saw lots of promise in this class. Maya told me that I looked familiar, and she was the only one who noticed. She said that she had a twin named Max who had posters of me on her wall...?" I nodded, feeling really stupid. "She had absolutely no talent what so ever. Except for the ukulele. So," She paused. "When you said that you could sing, that scene popped into my head. I knew you weren't Maya."

I smiled incredibly wide. "Then it wouldn't be weird if I did this?"

"Did what – oof!" I hugged her and squealed like I never have before.

"OhmigoshIloveyousomuchyou'resoawesome!" I pulled away. "Sorry." She took in a big breath.

"Heh, no problem." She ruffled her hair. "So, why are you pretending to be your sister?" She asked me. "Walk me to my car?" I nodded and she opened to door to the hallway. Nick was waiting by the door, but quickly looked like he was just walking to class.

"Hey, tell the teacher I'll be there in a little while!" I yelled after him. He showed that he heard and Hayley led me out.

"Boyfriend?" She asked. I choked on my own spit.

"Oh lord, no." I coughed, and recomposed myself. "Maya's boyfriend." She nodded.

"So..." She prompted.

"Oh, right. I'm pretending to be Maya because Dylan, her old boyfriend from 5th grade who moved to Colorado, was in a car crash and died, so she took a trip to Colorado. School is way more important to her than it is to me, and she knows it, so she asked me to be her. She didn't want her boyfriend cheating on her, which was understandable, but not very realistic. She was convinced that her friend Lissa would take advantage of her not being there. Nick's a real gentleman. Anyways, she also didn't want people talking about how she went to Colorado for some guy she used to love, she's pretty popular."

We reached her car and she leaned up against it.

"So, we asked Nick if he would be alright with her going to Colorado, without it being weird, and told him I was going to pretend to be her so that rumors wouldn't circulate. We didn't tell him the other reason.

"So, here I am, wearing mega uncomfortable clothes and trying to get through the week, doing our project discreetly while Max has mono," I finished dramatically. She laughed.

"Well, _Maya_, it was very nice meeting you. You have lots of talent." She winked, then, "Tell Max to get better soon!" She said and hopped in her car. She reached in her purse before shutting the door, and wrote something on a piece of paper. "Here," she passed it to me. "Use this as a pass." She smiled and waved as she backed out in her silver car, and I waved back.

* * *

**S****o, R****&R? I know there must be some Paramore fans reading this, who want to tell me how awesome I am! Lol, jk.**

**Were you surprised? I was! I didn't have any idea that that was going to happen. No really. It just... came to me.  
**


	7. Day 2 Part 2: Fang No way

**Hey guys, sorry it took so long for me to update.  
**

**I have finals all week, tests, gotta finish my writing project for tomorrow, and I'm in English class right now, listening to Mrs. Mitchel blab.  
**

**BORINGGGG.  
**

**Anyways, here y'are darlin's.  
**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 7:**

**Day 2 Part 2: Fang...? No way.**

"So, what happened after you saw me in the hall?" Nick asked as we got off the loud and crowded bus. I smiled, giddy.

"She knew I wasn't Maya." He looked at me with a look I can't even describe. "She was the judge for the auditions at select schools taking part in a competition, and she saw that we had the most promising talent. So, we won the contest. Apparently, she had seen Maya and Maya had recognized her from all the posters in 'her twin Max's' room. Hayley said that she saw Maya sing and... Well, let's just say that she knew I wasn't Maya. She only put her in because she showed some talent with a uke."

Nick nodded, guitar case in hand. We walked up the steps and I looked to the right. Yenta was supposed to have her babies by today, I just remembered! "Put your stuff down! We have to go see Yenta!" I heard Nick ask who Yenta was, but I dropped my stuff and kicked off Maya's heels. I ran over to the bunny cages and opened Yenta's. Sure enough, Yenta had pulled out tons of her hair, and in her nesting box were six snug, cute little babies.

"Whoa." I heard Nick come up behind me and he watched. "You have lots of rabbits."

"Yuhuh. Dad's kind of obsessed with raising rabbits. We also have chickens." I hesitantly closed Yenta's cage and went over to Cindy's, who had bunnies that had already outgrown the nesting box, but they were still small. I picked a black bunny out and it curled up to me.

"You can pick one out, if you want." He neared the cage and reached in gently, grabbing a white and brown one, with some black speckling.

"I'll deny I ever said this, but they're so cute," Nick said. I smiled and laughed along with him. We walked down the hill a little ways and I walked over to the hen house. I lifted up the cover to the peeping-box. There were some eggs, so I picked them up. One was still warm.

"Wanna hold it?" Nick held out his hand expectantly and I placed it on his palm. He smiled.

"You do this everyday?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Nah. I usually don't have an ugly boy hanging around." He pouted playfully, and I smiled. "Just kidding."

We grabbed our stuff, walked into the house and I rested all five eggs on the counter. We continued into the living room with the bunnies and I sat myself down on the couch. Nick set his bunny in his lap and picked up his guitar case. He opened it and pulled out a standard guitar; blonde, metal strings, Martin, and a black pick guard.

"So, you never did say what you named your guitar."

Nick smiled and placed his fingers on the neck in the G chord. My ukulele, which was still in the living room from the previous night, rested against the footstool and I picked it up and followed his lead, pressing my fingers against the G chord.

"Fang."

"Huh? What?"

"I was really little, and I had been obsessed with wild dogs. Don't judge."

"Wait. You named your guitar... Fang?" I tried to hide my smile behind my hand.

"I hear you judging." I shrugged, trying not to laugh.

"That'd be a good v_ampire_ name," I teased. Then, "Actually, it really would." I mimed a vampire sharpening his canines and then biting someones neck. He dropped his head in his right hand.

"I never should have told you."

"Oh, it's alright, _Fang._" I snickered and played some random chords on Ride.

"So, what was the amazing idea you came up with?" Nick asked.

"Well, I don't know, _Fang_, if you want to find out then you'll have to read my mind." I'd already written some ideas for the song down in science.

"I already told you, I'm not a flipping fairy." I smiled. "Do you have a pick?" I fished through my pockets and pulled out a couple quarters, a red pick, and a slip of crumpled paper.

"Here," I looked up to hand the pick to him, but then I looked at the piece of paper. It was the one Hayley had passed me for a pass, I hadn't even read it.

_Max,_

_ If you ever want to record a song or two, feel free to call me. I'd love to help you out! Within the next two weeks, I'll be here in Virginia, so don't wait too long!_

_ ~Hayley Williams_

Holy crap. Holy _crap_. Hayley Williams just offered to _record_ a song for me!

"What's that?" Nick asked me.

"Oh, nothing, Fang." I stuffed the piece of paper back in the skirts pocket. I wanted to keep this secret. "Just a pass."

"Huh."

"Deathly melody."

"What?" He asked.

"Deathly melody. That was my idea." I looked at him pointedly.

"Like, for a song?" I nodded. "Oh. Yeah, I think we could work with that." He inserted the pick between his teeth and held it there as he motioned for the poetry journal. I gave it to him, and he got a pen from his bag.

"Hey, look. How about you write what deathly melody makes you think about, and then I'll write whatever you wrote makes me think of, and on and on?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure." He scribbled something on the paper and passed it to me.

_Bloody mary._

_ Fear._

_ Cold._

_ Moon._

_ Mystical._

_ Scariness._

_ Adreniline._

_ Rush._

_ Fast._

_ Speed._

_ Sports cars._

"Okay, Fang, we're done. No sports cars will make their way into our song." I sighed, "That's dumb." He smiled at me, then shook his head.

"Fine, let's see what else we have." He took the journal from me and scooted himself over to me so we could look at it together, holding the bunny close in one hand. I was petting mine absentmindedly, and looked to the page.

"Well, we could use moon..."

The rest of the night went like that. We had made a little progress on the song, and it was going well. Around 5, we went and put the bunnies back, then we had watched TV for an hour or so. I was tired and hyper, and not even sleep could calm that down. It was something that mom had once called "Late night Max". I thought it was fitting.

**TPOV**

Fang walked out of the bathroom and down to the living room. He yawned and scratched behind his head, thinking, _Wow, Max is a handful when she's tired._

Max was lying on the couch, arms tucked in close to her chest, breathing steadily. She was cuddled into the armrest of the sofa, and Fang walked over to her. He sat on the couch beside her, turned off the TV with the remote, and stared at her.

Max seemed so... different from Maya. Sure, they were alike in a lot of ways, but there were things that were different. For instance, Maya wore very different clothes from Max. Max was modest and covered herself, and still looked nice. Maybe it was her confidence level. Maya would talk to Fang about how much she didn't like herself, and no amount of reassurance from him would sway her.

Maya was so... he wouldn't say fake, because she wasn't. She was as real as Max when it came to that. Max just had more confidence in herself that she didn't care what others thought about her. Maya did. Maya was emotional, and it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was kind of tiring to _hear_ about problems. Sometimes Fang wished he could _talk_ about problems. His problems.

Sure, Fang had a great mom and dad, and his sister Ella was great. But he didn't have anyone to vent to. For the first time, Fang felt like he might be able to vent to someone. Max.

Thinking all of this, Fang realized what he was doing. Fang was just supposed to work on his project with Max and then be out of there. Instead, he hung out with her all night. And another thing, Maya was his girlfriend. She was amazing, if a little tiring. Max was Maya's twin, and he shouldn't think about anyone that way, _especially_ not Max.

Fang was confused and wanted to be alone. Even though Max was sleeping, he still felt uncomfortable thinking these thoughts next to her. He walked into the kitchen and found the phone. He dialed his phone number and his mother picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom," Nick said casually, fingering the hem of his shirt.

"Hey honey, do you need to be picked up?"

"Yeah, that'd be great."

"Okay, I'll be right over."

He hung up, and went back into the living room to collect his things. Whatever he found that was Max's, he put in her bag, and everything that was his he gathered into his. He put his guitar in his case, and Fang looked to the sofa.

Making a snap decision, he slipped one hand under her neck, and the other under her legs. He lugged her up to the room, and laid her down in her bed. He covered her in blankets, and put his hands in his pockets, staring at her.

He felt something in his pocket and took it out, realizing it was the pick Max had given him.

He set it down on her bedside table, and without knowing what he was doing, he kissed her on the forehead. There was a beep outside, so he ran downstairs, grabbed his stuff, and hurried out to his mom's car.

* * *

**I KNOW IT'S SHORT: I'm having a writers blockage. Ideas appreciated!  
**

**I also know it's not the best chapter I've written... But OH WELL. IDEAS=More better chapters! lol**

**Remember, even if you DON'T have an account, then you can still anonymously review, and I'll include all answers to important questions here, and individual answers to questions that are simple, I'll PM you. Righty?  
**


	8. Day 3: Liatsu who?

**Ohmiword.. It's been soooo long!  
**

**Anyways...  
**

**I hope you like this chapter! I'm kind of dead on ideas, so please comment with some nice reviews, maybe even a little piece of heavenly inspiration!  
**

**Whoa... heavenly inspirtation... I'M USING THAT IN MY NEW SONG! {I'm writing another one, on top of the one I'm writing for this story... maybe I'll even include it...} I am flip-flopping amazing.  
**

**Anyways, I'm still mega sick...  
**

**I don't remember if I said Fang's last name, and I can't find it, but it's Martinez, alrighty?  
**

**Um, Dr. Martinez won't know who Max is...  
**

**Disclaimer: Grandma says get out of the road! And keep out of the ditches! YOU COULD BE RUN OVER!  
**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 8:**

**Day 3: Liatsu Who?  
**

After what became known as my morning routine, I slipped onto the bus, still half asleep, wearing some black skirt or other, and a plaid red and black cut off top, with cut out tights, and a red... floof hat. You know, those ones that... I don't know how to explain them. Just... Imagine one of those cool hats... red.

I don't know what it was, but I slept _soooo_ well last night. I had been dreaming about the song I was writing with N-Fang. There was moonlight, and some darkness was choking me. But... it was cold, and refreshing, and oddly peaceful.

_Hm... That'd be cool for-_

I shook my head, turned to the window, and listened to the rumbling of the bus. Iggy grabbed my attention.

"Hey, Maya, is Max doing better?" He asked, turning around to face me. I panicked,_ Um, what would Maya say? Something reassuring or snarky? _

_Both. _"I don't really pay attention to her, but Mom says she's doing a little better." That should do it. Iggy nodded solemnly and turned around again.

"Hey, Maya." I heard an extremely annoying voice in my ear. _Lissa_.

My brain registered her name, and I turned around.

"Hey, you took the bus," I said, surprised.

"Yeah, no duh." She glared at me from the seat across the row. _What's up with her?_

"Um, I love your... nails..." _I have no idea how to _general_ with Lissa, Maya. Seriously. _Lissa looked down at her nails and smiled.

"Aw, thanks!"

"You're welcome." The rest of the ride to school was spent in monotone silence. Once we got to school, I rushed past Lissa's seat so that I could get to my locker, and get through this day.

"Hey." I jumped as Fang sounded behind me.

"Hi." I grabbed the stuff from the locker, stuffed it in Maya's bag, and let Fang lead me to homeroom.

* * *

At the end of the day, in homeroom, I called my mom at work and asked her if I could get off the bus at Fang and Ella's house. Ella was awesome, and I knew we'd be great friends. Mom was hesitant at first, but she said I could anyways.

Once we got off the bus, Fang led me down his tarred drive-way, and into the front door. On the bus, he'd told me that he had an older sister named Liatsu, as well as Ella, and she was 17. She was tall for her age, but she was; "extremely hilarious if she was in the right mood and tended to be a little over-comfortable with people she was necessarily friends with." In Fang's words.

On the side of Fang's house was a deck, and he had a pool behind it. Beside it was a trampoline. He was _not_ keeping me off of that trampoline... I shoved the retched red heels I had worn today off of my feet as if I owned the place. Fang did the same, he didn't seem to have a problem with me being so comfortable in his home.

In fact, I passed him in the mudroom and sat my stuff on the floor beside the table. There was a woman in a Nurse's outfit at the sink, and she turned around and smiled. I smiled back, but I was focused on the smell of the air in the house.

"Hello, you must be Maya." She wiped her hands on a towel from the counter, and then put her hand out to me.

"Yeah," I said absently, then, "Man, what is that smell? It's... intoxicating..." I licked my lips and Ms. Martinez smiled.

"I made chocolate chip cookies. I always do when Nick has a friend over."

"Oh." I paused, not wanting to be so rude on my first impression, but hey, Maya will have to live it down, right? And she doesn't even like cookies... Hehehe... "Are they done?"

"Yes, I was just washing the pans, have one." She motioned me to the counter where I took two, and I didn't take my eyes off of them. I took a bite and Mrs. Martinez laughed, probably at my face.

"These are delicious!" I tried to tell her. Fang ushered me up the stairs as I tried to eat my cookies all at once, and I noticed he was holding my bags.

"Be safe! Don't... do anything! You know what I mean!" Mrs. Martinez yelled up. At this, I coughed and hacked, thanking the good Lord that I had already swallowed most of that cookie. I heard Fang yell back downstairs right behind me.

"Moooom!"

"Well, honey, I have the right to worry-"

"MOOOM!"

"Alright, alright..."

"Sorry for that," Fang said, closing the door behind him with a faint blush on his cheeks. I felt tempted to tease him, but knew it wouldn't be the smartest thing to do, since I could feel an identical blush forming on my own cheeks. I let it go and watched Fang take out his guitar. I hadn't planned on going to Fang's house this morning, so I didn't have my uke.

Frowny face.

But, I did bring the song journal, because I always find some things that inspire me during the school day. And I did, so I flipped it open to the page I'd written nonsense on, and we explored what we could do with it.

* * *

2 hours later found me at one end of the bed, laying down with Fang's pillow under my head as I experimentally sang strings of words.

**"Your deathly melody is taking over my body,**

**Making it hard to for me to breathe.**

**I'm choking as I try to pull air between my lips,**

**But you're suffocating me."**

"Yeah," Fang said, nodding as he sat against the wall on his bed, guitar in hand. "That sounds really good. Nice, Max." I smiled, proud of myself.

"Yeah, I'm pretty amazing." I grabbed another cookie off the plate Dr. Martinez had brought up, and stuffed it into my mouth gracefully.

"Hey, wanna go swimming?" A girl with short, brown hair and bright blue eyes burst in. She was beautiful, and fairly tall, and looked confused as her eyes fell on me. "Oh. Hi." I sat up with great effort and maneuvered so I sat against the wall adjacent to Fang's. My belly was full, and it protruded, and so I pat it gently. "You're Maya, right?" The girl said. I was sure that she was Liatsu.

"Yeppity-yep." I looked up at her apologetically. "I'd go swimming, but Tickles here-" I pointed to the wad of fat disguising my abs, "forgot his swimsuit back at home." I smiled again and continued to rub my tummy.

"Well, I have some shorts and a tee you could borrow." Liatsu offered kindly. I grinned, and then looked at Fang. She isn't how he described her at all. I looked back to her and nodded. She waved me over and I got up, pretending to waddle around like a pregnant penguin. Fang laughed and I turned around with a scowl on my face.

"Kind sir, are you swimming with us?"

"Why not?"

"Good question." I turned and followed Liatsu into her room. It was... quite empty. No crap lying around, barely any books. She had a simple bed with a quilt of many colors and fabrics, a bureau with a mirror, and a chest with a small lap desk that opened up on it. It looked like my sister Esther's room when she was 17. Except, Esther had much more crap in it, like nik-naks, papers full of sappy poetry, lamps, and many pictures and "motervational" print outs.

Liatsu opened the bottom drawer of her bureau and passed me some Nike shorts and a blue T-shirt that had an odd, abstract picture of a shadow dancing beside the water, and under, was a caption: "To dance is to live free."

"Where do you want me to change?" I asked Liatsu.

"Oh, I don't mind if you change in here. I won't look." She turned around and shrugged off her clothes, grabbing a swimsuit off a nail in the wall. I turned around, wide eyed, not completely comfortable.

I guess _this_ is what Fang meant. As fast as I could, I dressed in the given clothes and balled up all my stuff. She still wasn't done.

"Okay, I'm gonna go see Fang, so bye!" I hurried out of the room and closed the door, ran to Fang's room and slammed the door behind me. I turned around to find a stunned Fang staring at me.

Ahem, I will rephrase that.

A _shirtless_ and stunned Fang staring a me.

Oh, we were going swimming, right...

"Uh... Who's he?" My stupid nervous autopilot was on, and I pointed to his stomach.

"Um..."

"Don't tell me you didn't name your belly, Fang."

"Okay."

"You didn't?"

"You said not to tell you."

"This is getting awkward."

Fang nodded and scratched his neck. "Yeah, only kinda."

"Welp. Wanna go outside to swim?"

* * *

**Remember to review!  
**

**So, I had to update for you guys, but I also have to go pack for camp, and so I decided I'd compromise.  
**

**Since I'm mostly back to being better, I wrote this much, and now I'll go pack. For _another_ camping trip.  
**

**Anyways, I know it's short, and not the best, but it's not horrible, right?  
**

**I thought it was pretty good, considering My brain is still a bit fuzzy...  
**

**And: Liatsu isn't a creep, she's a naturalist, a minimalist, and a contradancer.  
**

**NO JUDGING: It's my sister in Liatsu form!  
**

**Have fun writing a review!  
**


	9. Day 3 Part 2: I Know Who That Is

**Hello!  
**

**So, I got back from camp, and...  
**

**Man, I had such an amazing time. I can't even describe it to you.  
**

**BUT THIS CAN: {Kinda...}  
**

** december-eklipse . deviantart . {com}**

**Disclaimer: Your mom. Your dad. Your dog. Your cat. James Patterson kills all hearts of Fax lovers in any shape, form, or state of mind.  
**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 9:**

**Day 3 Part 2: I Know Who That Is**

"Hey, that's cheating!" I yelled atop Fang's shoulders. I stared at Ella and Liatsu, in the same position as Fang and I.

Yes, we were playing chicken. Liatsu recruited Ella to come swim with us, and this is how it ended up. We were sooo winning, even with them occasionally pulling a foul move.

I guess that's sisters for you.

_Well, some sisters, _I reminded myself.

Maya and I - well, we were never like this. Esther, well, when she still lived with us, yeah, we were close to this. Of course, she had always been slightly more mature than me because of our age difference, but I found no fault in that. It was more likely the reason that she always had something better to do when I wanted to hang out with her, and vise versa.

Not that we had a bad relationship, but it was short, and often cut off of emotion. Stephen was quite the same, with even higher levels of maturity and age difference, and much more on his mind. Always on about school, and barely ever the time to talk, sister to brother. Craig... My horrific, terrible, loving, sweet brother. We had that hate-love relationship that kids come to have when faced with similar attributes.

Craig and I were more alike than different. Hates emotion, sap-crap, and comes to anger so easily. Easier than a match strikes to fire. Mom said Craig was always the fire, and I was the dynamite. He started it, and I blew up in a short time afterwards. It was true, of course: he would say something mean, and I'd just take it to heart, like he knew I would, and I'd blow up on everything. He had that... that "irking" quality in him, that could just make love or hate rise in you like bile in your throat.

Then, we did have our good times. At Christmas, we had times of peace, especially when I gave him something nice. He would hug me, and I knew that he meant them to be real, and they were great hugs, and I would just savor them. I savor them now more than ever, because I'll never get to feel them again.

"Maya! Watch out-" Suddenly, I was brought out of my reverie and plunged into the semi-warm water of Fang's pool. I didn't rise instantly, but I was startled to see where I was when moments before I was embraced by my brother at Christmas, right after giving him a case of beautiful, old coins to go to his collection. Ella appeared underwater and looked at me, both of our eyes wide open. I had no air in my lungs, and I wasn't rising to the surface easily, and I didn't necessarily want to. I wanted to be back at my home in Maine, tight in my brothers arms, in his warmth, in one of the rare moments of love he'd shown to me.

Instead, I was enduring water that was barely comforting in comparison, and in no ones arms, and in Virginia. And no love of my brother was being revealed to me. Ella let bubbles escape from her mouth as she pushed back up - but I didn't see what happened next.

* * *

"Maya... Maya, honey, are you alright?" I heard a vaguely familiar voice buzz in my ears. I smiled and wished it would go away. I felt to good to be woken up, I was too comfortable.

"Maya, you need to wake up. Right now." Covers were pushed off of me and I reluctantly opened one eye halfway. My vision was disoriented and fuzzy, and I tried to stand up in confusion. I was in warm, fuzzy pajamas, and my head hurt like crap. "Sit." It was a simple command, and I went on autopilot, not checking where I was. I sat down and found myself on the floor. In back of me I heard a snickering, and to my right was a nervous laugh.

"Maya, open your eyes." I did, but my vision wasn't any better.

"Oh, hello." I said awkwardly. Mrs. Martinez was right up in my face, much too close for comfort. Then again, my lungs ached and my throat was sore, so comfort really wasn't so close to me anyways.

"Maya, what do you remember?"

"Ella."

"What?" A puzzled look crossed her face.

"I was under water, and Ella was looking at me weirdly."

"Uhuh. And... anything else?"

"No, that's it."

"Okay, well, you passed out."

"I gathered that..." Mrs. Martinez gave me a sharp look. "Sorry." I blushed sheepishly and laid my head back against the mattress. Man, it hurt.

"And then Nick and Liatsu brought you up on the deck, and Ella ran and got me, and... Well, anyways, you're alright now. I'm a doctor, so I checked everything out. No water in you lungs, no nothing. You're going to have a head ache for a while, but that'll clear up within a couple hours." She looked at me expectantly.

"Thanks...?" It came out as more of a question, but she rolled her eyes and smiled, lending me a hand. I took it and stood up.

"Slow it down..." She nodded and helped me up slower, then turned to the two other people in the room. "You should really be thanking Liatsu, Nicholas, and Ella." I saw Ella and Liatsu, but Fang wasn't there. My head still hurt badly, and it was hard for me to focus: I was too dizzy. But, the best I could, I thanked Liatsu and Ella. They smiled nervously. I looked up around the room, which had Purple walls, a wood desk, and lots of girlish decorating. I must be in Ella's room. I looked down at my attire, and found that I was dress fully in black.

"We tried to fit you into some of Ella's stuff," Mrs... Dr.? Martinez started as she saw me.

"Is that a fat joke?" I had enough energy in me that I could joke, good...

"No, not at all. And... well, Liatsu is a minimalist and doesn't have enough clothes to give away, so I hoped you wouldn't mind wearing some of Nick's clothes." She looked at me for reassurance. I shook my head.

"No, no problem at all." _Yes, actually, it's kind of awkward._

"Good, well, why don't you call your mom, and tell her what's happened," she said, passing me a wireless phone. "It's best that she knows, and then she can decide what she wants you to do. I'll drop you off if need be." She led Liatsu and Ella out, quietly.

* * *

Once I got done, with Mom being quite shocked, I hung up. She said that Dr... Mrs... Um, Fang's mom could drop me off and she'd make it home as fast as she could. I also added something about Me and Fang playing a hilarious joke on his mom that I was pretending to be Max, "So don't blow our cover!" just in case she saw her.

I walked out of the room and screamed. Fang jumped me so bad; he was just lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike! I tried hitting him but my aim was terribly off because my head was filled with fog, and I hit the wall instead.

"Woah, Max, calm. You alright?"

"OF COURSE." I said with blatant sarcasm.

"Really?"

"No."

"Well, in the mornin', I'm makin' waffles!"

I looked at Fang like he was the weirdest bug I'd ever seen. It was a fierce look.

"Sorry, it just seemed to fit."

"No, no it didn't."

* * *

Dr. Martinez waved as Maya smiled and went in the door to her house, stumbling over some shoes as she did. She carried her bag and a plastic bag full of her clothes and shoes. She seemed pleasant.

A car drove in, just as she was turning around in the driveway. It pulled up beside her, and a friendly face stared at her from the far side of the car.

"Hi, you must be Maya's mom!" Dr. Martinez yelled over the rumble of engines.

"Yeah, Maya, right." She smiled so big that it was almost unnatural. Her blonde hair was soft and framed her face, and she had kind eyes. She looked extremely familiar, but she could place her.

Dr. Martinez smiled, uncertain to what she meant to achieve by smiling like that.

"Um, yeah. Well, she seems fine, other than a headache and some dizziness. I wouldn't recommend any medicines, though, it might make her headache worse." Dr. Martinez thought about her response, and saw how it might seem a little condescending to Mrs. Walker, so she added, "I'm a doctor, so..." She was at a loss for words, because the expression of grief and hardness came together on Mrs. Walker's kind face, and Dr. Martinez knew where she had seen her before.

"Oh, well, okay, I better go check on Ma-yaa..." Mrs. Walker said hesitantly. Dr. Martinez nodded and continued out the driveway, and onto the main road.

Once she got to her own house, she fumbled inside, kicked off her shoes, and sat down with a drink at the kitchen table. Her son walked in the kitchen then, and got a drink of milk from the kitchen.

"Did Maya get home alright?"

Trying to make a joke, Dr. Martinez replied, "Do you doubt my driving skills?" He smiled and shook his head, walking through the kitchen to go back upstairs.

"Honey," Dr. Martinez paused, wondering how her approach to this would sound to him. He turned around and looked at her expectantly. "Do you know about Maya's brother?"

He tilted his head, and his expression told her that he did not, in fact, know about the death of Maya's brother.

"Nick, come here. Come sit down."

* * *

**Remember to review!  
**

**Lol, it's a clifffeeeeey.**

**YURP. Well, it's 12:52 AM right now, so Imma go get whatever Z's I can manage. Righty?**

**But, I finally updated, so love me.**

**And whoever get's to be my 100th reviewee, then I will dedicate the next chapter to them. BE FAST!**

**.Dez.**


	10. Day 4: Get off my back!

**This chapter is kindly dedicated to my 100th viewer, FutureMusicianWriterGamer84! With love to ALL reviewers! I never thought I would have had this many!  
**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 10:**

**Day 4: Get Off My Back!  
**

"Seriously, Fang, what's you're problem?" All day, Fang had been treating me like an infant. Like, I was some baby that needed tending to, or a little girl with a bruise. Had I said something out-of-whack when I was knocked out? I don't remember it.

"Are... you alright?" He asked me.

"No! No, I'm not alright! You're driving me up the wall!" I yelled in the empty hall. "It's past lunch and you're still obsessing over every little sigh I give off. _What_ is your problem?"

"But... your... your..." His confused eyes peeked through his facade.

"My... what?" I asked.

"Your brother." I stiffened and straightened my back.

"What about him?" I said, willing my icy glare to tell him that I didn't want to talk about my brother.

"Well-" Fang hadn't expected this, I could tell. He paused.

"Right." I turned on my heel and walked towards my next class.

* * *

Admittedly, getting off the bus was extremely awkward. Fang had agreed earlier in the morning that he'd get off at my house so that we could write the last part of our song. It was due tomorrow, and we'd have to practice it as much as we could for our presentation.

I dropped my crap off upstairs in my room and changed into some jeans and a hoodie. I walked down stairs with Ride and sat on the opposite end of the couch from Fang.

"Max..." Fang started. I looked up at him.

"Want some water? I do." I got up and walked into the kitchen grabbing two glasses and filling them up with water. I guzzled it down and then filled it up again and brought them both in the room, sipping from my cup, still thirsty. I set down the second glass on the floor beside Fang's foot.

Yes, I was avoiding him on purpose. So what? I don't want to talk about my brother; suck it up, cupcake.

Fang was just looking at me with an unreadable facial expression.

* * *

The rest of the night we worked on the song, our awkward silences getting a little less silent, but not wavering in the awkward aspect. Eventually, we moved on to practicing it, and tweaking it in various places, working it to perfection.

"_Your lips are moving, fingers are twitching_

_The notes you make move my body, move my soul._

_You've won the battle, I'm losing control._

_Your deathly melody is taking over my body_

_Making it hard to for me to breathe_

_I'm choking as I try to pull air between my lips_

_But you're suffocating me."_

We sat in silence as we both strummed the last chord. I yawned, breaking it, and reached over to drain Fang's half cup of water. I'd finished mine a couple minutes before. He frowned at me playfully and I stuck my tongue out.

**Remember to review!  
**

**I KNOW IT'S EXTREMELY SHORT I just thought I'd update before you die. :P  
**

**Don't worry, there will be a part 2 to Day 4. ^^ Full of faxiness! Hopefully I'll get it done fast, too, because I have to go to Portland tomorrow night, and then I have to go school shopping the rest of the week. Highschool next week... O.O Scary.  
**

**.Dez.**


	11. Day 4 Part 2: What Is He Doing to Me?

**So, I just got a hair cut. I thought you would like to know... ^^ Nevermind.  
**

**Anyways, sorry for taking so loooong. ^^ And, I very disappointed in the amount of reviews I got. I expect more for my Fax this chapter!  
**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 10:**

**Day 4 Part 2:  
**

We sat in silence as we both strummed the last chord. I yawned, breaking it, and reached over to drain Fang's half cup of water. I'd finished mine a couple minutes before. He frowned at me playfully and I stuck my tongue out.

"Whatever to you." I said, setting the cup back down. "Want to help me make some supper?" He smiled.

"Sure."

* * *

An hour and a half later found us both covered in flour, tomato sauce, and cheese. We were laughing our butts off, with loud music playing in the living room.

"Oh my word, if I had known how badly I would look afterwards, I would have brought another pair of clothes this morning," Fang laughed. I grinned widely.

"Always so self-conscious. Oh, Fang." I turned to look at him and he was already turned, looking at me. It took a few seconds for me to notice how close we were, but when I did, I acted cool about it, and bent down to pick up a cloth on the floor.

"Hey, I still have your PJs, do you want me to get those?" I saw him shrug and nod as I stood back up. "Kay, let's go." I led him up stairs to my room and searched in the hamper for the wad of black, signaling Fangs clothes. I chucked them at him and said, "You can change in here, I'll go to the bathroom."

Once I was changed, I walked down the hall and knocked on my door. "Fang?"

"Yeah." I opened the door saw Fang put down a picture frame. I recognized it as the one where Craig and I were sitting on an old, red porch, back when we lived in Maine. I was probably four. The sun was bright and I had a Piglet shirt on. We were both squinting and smiling. My present smile faltered as he looked at me.

"Is that him?" I nodded, averting my eyes. Couldn't he tell this was a touchy subject. _Leave him alone!_ I wanted to scream. Instead, I stood in the door awkwardly. "What was he like?" _I don't have to __share my brother with you!_

"He was a je-erk." My voice broke and a couple tears came to my eyes. _And I'll never be able to fix our relationship._

"Was that... all you remember?" _No, you idiot!__  
_

"Well... He was nice when we were younger. And he was nice to my siblings-" I stopped talking because I knew that if I did I would be able to stop from yelling at him.

"Was it... was it just you?"

"Stop it!" I screamed, choking back a sob. "Just stop it! I don't - I can't..." I sunk to the floor and hugged my knees to my chest in an attempt to hold myself together. I felt Fang sit beside me on the floor. My head rested on top of my knees and I looked away from him.

"Max..." Fang's voice was soft and careful. "I..I didn't mean to upset you... I just don't want you to think -"

"What!? Think what?"

Fang leaned away from me and his eyes got a bit bigger. "I didn't want you to think I don't care."

"Why would I think you didn't care if you don't bring it up? I don't want people to know about it; they'd befriend me to ask questions and then leave me in the dust wondering what happened."

"But, Max, I'm already your friend, I don't need to leave you in the dust." I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "I don't _want_ to leave you in the dust," he said with a much firmer voice, making me glance at him.

I laid my head with a more resigned sigh and Fang scooted closer, brushing his leg against mine. I took a few seconds to compose myself.

I got up and brushed away all tears from my cheeks and brush my hair back from my face. I took a few breaths in and out, in and out.

_I'll let him talk to me for the rest of the night. Perform our song for class, go to the play with Lissa, and then we'd go to pick up Maya on Saturday night, and I'd be done with him. Yes, that's how it will work._

Fang walked out, and not too soon after, I hopped down stairs and heard running water in the kitchen, Fang was probably getting a drink. But when I walked into the kitchen, I found he was getting a wash cloth wet, and he started to clean up the kitchen.

"Oh, you don't have to do that. Mum and I will do it," I said. Honestly? I was glad he shook his head.

"Nah, I helped make this mess. I can help clean it up," Fang gave a half smile, and my stomach came up to my throat. I swallowed it down as he smirked.

"Alright."

The next hour was spent cleaning up, checking on the pizza, and the occasional joke. He didn't talk about my brother, didn't ask about my siblings, and I was glad. He got that I didn't want to be bother. He got _me._ As weird as it sounds in my head that someone could understand me completely, with how complicated _I_ am, it was how it was. And it kinda felt... nice.

I don't even know how to explain it. The silence between us wasn't uncomfortable. It wasn't awkward, it was just... silence. It was comfortable. And I was comfortable to be with him. It even trumped the happiness I felt when Iggy and I had bantering conversations that bordered on serious.

Oh my gosh, I'm turning to emotional mush...

What is he doing to me?

Fang gave me an odd look; I had stopped cleaning and was staring at my feet with wide eyes.

"Oh, um, nothing."

Once we had finished, we settled down on the couch to watch a movie. It was 7:16, and we had taken the pizza out at 7:00. We'd finished it at least 3 minutes ago. It had been alright, I let Fang make the dough, but I helped put the toppings on. The dough was actually very good, but extremely thick. That's why it took so long to cook.

"You need people of intelligence for this sort of mission...quest...thing."

"Well I guess that rules you out, Pip."

We were watching Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, and every part that didn't have some depressing thing in it, we were laughing, and making fun of the movie. I'd done this with Esther plenty of times, and the times I did do this with Annabelle, she'd have jokes so funny that I peed my pants, and ended up having to rush to the bathroom.

Right now, we were both doubled over with laughter at Mary and Pippin. They were just so funny...

A beep sounded outside the house and Fang sighed. We were leaning against each others shoulders, sitting back against the couch cushions.

He got up and collected his stuff, and I walked him to the door. Then, he did the most surprising thing tonight. He hugged me, kissed my cheek, and said, "Night." He hopped out with his guitar and got in the car.

I stumbled in side and turned off the TV, and walked up to my room, hardly knowing what I was doing.

I walked into my room, and huffed down on my bed. Wait... Was... What... Wh-...Umm...?

* * *

I woke up next morning to get ready for the big day. I would have to wear something nice. Ella had asked me if I wanted to go over her house after school to get ready for the play and dance. Either that or I would just bring something... Nah.

I slipped on an electric blue skirt, a black tank-top, and I pulled out a blue sweater-nit top. The kind the looks like a shawl, but it actually has a separation for sleeves. I wore a pair of earrings, a necklace, and some black flats. They felt so comfortable compared to those wretched heels...

Once I got downstairs, had breakfast, and had collected my ukulele and school bag, I ran through the lyrics one more time in my head, and headed out to the school bus. I was not looking forward to today. _How will I act around Fang?_

* * *

**READREADREAD:  
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**Okay, I don't know about this chapter. I thought it was better when I was writing it, but now I don't feel that good about it.  
**

**Iono. Just tell me what you think. I EXPECT REVIEWS: I had, what, five last chapter? Come on, guys! How do I know if I should continue, or if it's just getting sucky? I need feedback! Give me ideas of what you want! What do you like?  
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**I know for a fact that the next two chapters wont be disappointing to Fax lovers, so keep reading! And I know it's not super long, but I guess that's what you get for not reviewing... ^^  
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******Remember to review!**

**.Dez.**


	12. Day 5: Oh Lordie

**SO MANY REVIEWS! I'M SO HAPPY GUYS! I LOVE YOU ALL!  
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**AND YOU SHALL LOVE ME FOR THIS CHAPTER!  
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**Sorry for any might-be mistakes! Thanks!  
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**See, when you review, I update faster! MUCH FASTER.  
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* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 12:**

**Day 5: Oh Lordie...  
**

Oh my gosh... Oh my gosh... I'm hyperventilating...

It's the break right before English class...

What if something goes wrong? What if I forget the words? What if _Fang _forgets the words? What if my strumming messes up when I sing because the rhythms are different? What if-

"Maya?" I jumped and looked to my left. Ella was standing beside me, in front of the door to Mr. Chinneth's room. "You alright?" I blinked.

"Um, no." She smiled, and laughed.

"Oh, you're doing your project, aren't you?" She said with a knowing look. I smiled.

"Yeah, and I have to do two." She looked at me weirdly.

"Two?" I realized my mistake, but I covered it up quickly.

"Yeah, I'm doing my sisters project for her, and I have to do mine. Sucks, huh?" That makes sense, right?

Ella nodded in understanding. "Well, hey, you going to that play tonight?" I smiled.

"Yeah, do you know who's in it? I heard it's Cinderella or something."

"Yeah, she's a senior. Her name's Hanna, she's Cinderella. And the step sisters are the twins in Junior year. I heard that the evil stepmother is a guy named Jakob, a sophomore. Weird, huh?" I laughed.

"A guy?"

"Yeah," she said. "I actually know him. He's dating one of the step sisters. He's hilarious." Ella smiled at the thought of him. Then seemed to blush, as she said, "So, your sister... Um, her friends, Nudge and Iggy? You know them, right?" She giggled nervously, and twirled a finger around a lock of black hair. I grinned.

"Yeah, I know Iggy. And Nudge, of course. She's pretty cool, I guess." I had to stop smiling! But... she kept blushing at the mention of Iggy's name... It was cute!

"Um, is Iggy going to the dance tonight? I mean, uh, the play?" I shrugged.

"I could always... ask, for you." I smiled again, just the aspect of someone liking Iggy, it was nice. I'm sure it would make him feel nice.

"No! Maya, no. Don't do that."

I grinned evilly as the bell rang over her words. "Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you. I'll ask him tonight!" I said, walking in the door. I had to stop myself from looking back at Ella's face.

And then I ran into Fang. I'm pretty sure my nose will never be the same.

"Ask who what?" Fang asked as I rubbed my nose.

"Ask him if he wants to go to the dance..." I said.

"Ask... who?" He smirked and something lit up in his eyes.

"Iggy..."

"Oh."

"Yeah." I looked around the room and noticed that there were stools up front. What were we doing today?

"So, you ready for our project?" Oh. That's what we were doing.

"Truthfully? No." Fang gave me a half smile and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you'll be great."

"Oh, I have no doubts," I snorted, "but the thought is what gets to me." Then, Mr. Chinneth walked in. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and khaki pants, his glasses pushed to the tip of his nose. He strutted to the front of the class room holding a list on a clip board.

"Alright, let's see - hey! Jeremy, settle down." A boy, Jeremy, sat down quietly in his seat with an arm raised, holding a paper airplane. "Thank you, now. Any volunteers for who would like to go first?" No ones hands went up.

"Alright, let's have..." Mr. Chinneth closed his eyes and look up, swirling a finger in the air and landing it on the clip board. "Ah, Jeremy and Monique. You're up."

* * *

"Alright, now let's have... Nicholas, and you are doing you're project with Maya, right? Since Max has mono?" Fang nodded. "And Maya, who was you're previous partner?" I looked up and blinked. Um...

"Me!" Said a girl at the back, Jenna, I think it was. I smiled and faced forward again.

"Yeah. It was her," I said, motioning towards Jenna. Mr. Chinneth nodded.

"And, Jenna, have you and Maya finished your project?" Jenna smiled.

"Yep! I got it right here!" She held up a piece of printed paper and waved it around.

"Good, now that that's cleared up, Nicholas, please come up front with Maya, and present your project." Mr. Chinneth sat behind his desk and Fang and I made our way up. I grabbed my ukulele from it's case on the table to the side and strummed it a few times, making sure it was in tune, and Fang did the same with his guitar. I had to tweak my A string a bit, but other than that, it was fine.

"Please state what you're doing," Mr. Chinneth said.

"Oh, we're not singing a song or anything," I said under my breath. Fang caught it and chuckled. I looked to the class, then, louder this time, "Alright, we're singing a song so shut up until it's over." Fang raised his eyebrows at this but I ignored it. And we started to strum.

"One, two, one, two, three, four.

**In the cold light of the idle moon,**

**I hold a mask to my face.**

**And the icy wrap of your arms**

**Holds me tight in this foreign embrace**

**Your deathly melody is taking over my body**

**Making it hard to for me to breathe.**

**I'm choking as I try to pull air between my lips**

**But you're suffocating me."**

Fang harmonized perfectly with me, and we continued on to the second verse.

"**You spin your hypnotizing sound into me**

**Swirling throughout the atmosphere, a satisfying note**

**But you manipulate it endlessly;**

**A horrifying sound carefully enveloping my throat.**

**Your deathly melody is taking over my body**

**Making it hard to for me to breathe**

**I'm choking as I try to pull air between my lips**

**But you're suffocating me**

**The notes you make move my body, move my soul.**

**You've won the battle, I'm losing control.**

**Your deathly melody is taking over my body**

**Making it hard to for me to breathe**

**I'm choking as I try to pull air between my lips**

**But you're suffocating me."**

We strummed a bit longer, and I sang a small stanza softly.

"******Your lips are moving, fingers are twitching**."

The class was silent for a moment, then it went crazy with clapping. I wouldn't have been surprised if it could have been heard all the way from the principals office. Which, by the way, is at the other end of the school. We went and sat down, and Mr. Chinneth took his time calling Jenna up front, and she smiled at me when I declined going up to stand with her.

So, this is what Maya's project would have been...

**"Chasing the sunset,**  
**Cold feet grow numb.**  
**The wind rushes into empty lungs,**  
**Passing over your dry tongue, **  
**Seeking somewhere warm.**

**The moon rushes over your back,**  
**Darkness lapping at your heels.**  
**You run for happiness,**  
**To find you're missing it.**  
**Chasing the sunset.**

**Hand reaching out,**  
**You grasp for your bit of fairytale.**  
**Reality is tearing up the ground around you,**  
**Trying to trip you up.**

**Chasing the sunset,**  
**You come to find it's leaving you behind.**  
**Your happy ending starts to slip over the horizon. **  
**Falling to the ground over the roots,**  
**Pain and hurt starts to wash over you.**

**Chasing the sunset,**  
**You're dreams ripping away,**  
**They call out "Goodbye!"**  
**And saunter past the mountains.**  
**You drop your head.**

**Darkness consumes you,**  
**Reality sinks in.**  
**You feel dead, **  
**Letting roots take you over.**

**Reeling you in,**  
**You let a final breath fall,**  
**Sinking to your knees in the dark.**  
**You let the roots take over your soul,**  
**Giving up the Chance at life.**

**Chasing the sunset,**  
**Cold feet grow numb.**  
**Wind rushes into your empty lungs,**  
**Passing over your dry tongue,**  
**Seeking somewhere warm.**"

* * *

After English, Fang and I left with smiles on our faces. Everyone gave us compliments as we were walking out, and it felt really nice. But, I had to go to my locker to get my lunch.

"Hey, I have to go to my locker to get my lunch, I'll be right back." I told him. He nodded.

"Yeah, I have to go to Mr. Willoghby's real quick, I forgot my History book there during study hall." I smiled and headed off to my locker. "Hey!" I turned to look at him. He gave me a dazzling smile that lit up the world. "You sounded really great."

And then I freaking blushed. As if this day couldn't get more embarrassing.

After I had gotten to my locker and picked up the lunch box, and after checking what I had for lunch, I went to the Cafeteria, expecting to meet up with Fang, but he wasn't there yet. I shrugged and made my way to Mr. Willoghby's room, hoping to catch him on his way back. But he wasn't there, so I looked in the door's window, and saw him cornered by a red head.

Lissa, for you slow kiddies.

Wait... wasn't this what Maya had wanted me to do? Something in my brain was ringing a bell... But I just went on instinct. I opened the door and screamed my lungs out as Lissa was about to kiss a wide eyed Fang.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I screamed at Lissa, putting on my best angry face. It was pretty good, if I do say so myself. I could act in a play... I should try out.

She turned around and looked startled, then composed herself into a cool manner. "What?"

"What? What do you mean, 'what'?"

"What's you're problem? It's not like you're dating him anymore," she said. I stared at her shocked. "What? You haven't held hands at all today, you haven't kissed for a whole week, and you haven't butterfly kissed for two. It's obvious you guys are having problems." She inspected her nails as she said this, and I noticed Fang moving out from behind Lissa to stand awkwardly over by some other desks.

"What the heck? Do you go around stalking us all the time?" I easily avoided the parts where she had mentioned us and "our" habits.

"Oh, no, of course not. I have people for that." I looked at her incredulously. She huffed, annoyed. "But that's not the point. The point is, since you guys aren't together anymore, I call dibs." I gave her an "Are you psycho?" look.

"Okay, hold up." I held up one finger and occupied my other hand with my hip. "Numero uno, you do not get to call dibs on a guy like he's the best steak at Apple bee's. Numero dos, especially when the guy is taken. We are most surely still together." I crossed my arms, daring her to say more.

Man did this chick have some guts.

"Yeah? If you're so together, I dare you to kiss him."

"No."

"See? I knew it. You won't even kiss him." She smiled a smug little smile that I would so like to just chop off her face...

"You know what?" I said, walking over to Fang. "No, because this is just some silly little game you're trying to play. I don't have to prove to anyone _anything_ about my relationship with Nick."

Lissa grinned. "Great! So," she said, turning to Fang, "When are you free this weekend, Nick?" She glanced at me and almost shrunk. Due to my Glare of Doom. If I may say so myself; it even scares me if I look in the mirror with it on. So, that's how good it is.

"You want proof, you little wench?" I hissed at Lissa. "Watch me." I turned and did the most impossibly, horribly, idiotic, life changing thing in my entire life.

I made out with my sisters boyfriend. At some point during the first few awkward moments, he was non-respondent, but then it turned into a full on "make out or die" scenario. It was scary. Scary great. I had that feeling of pure dread in my stomach, but my heart was fluttering to hard and fast for it to register in my brain. Within seconds, my hands had pulled up to his baby hairs at the back of his neck, and he had clasped his hands behind his back.

It was bliss, but it was not ignorant. I knew the whole time that it would probably ruin me. Well, me and my sister. My sister and I, our relationship. But did I stop? Oh no. Not even when I heard Lissa scream indignantly and stomp off. Not even when I heard the door open, and neither did Fang. However, I did stop when I heard a voice.

"Excuse me," it was a strong male voice, and I stopped and pulled away from Fang. We were both blushing profusely. "What do you think you're doing, in my classroom, making out?" It was Mr. Willoghby. He shook his head with a small smile, and said, "Detention, both of you, Monday afternoon. You stay til 3 o'clock. Please leave."

We rushed out of there so fast, I wasn't even sure we had been in there in the first place. Then I remembered what happened.

"Oh God." Fang slid down the wall with his head in his hands. "Max, I don't..." I slid down the wall on the opposite side, stunned to pieces. I can't believe I did that... My stupid pride! If Lissa hadn't challenged me... Urgh!

"Yeah." I said. "I'm sorry... I hung my head, feeling so stupid. "Lissa challenged me and... and you know how I get if I'm challenged. I just... Ugh, Fang, I'm so sorry."

"I get it. It's not all your fault... Stupid teenage hormones. I'm sorry, I really didn't... It's not that... It's...Gah, I'm so sorry."

I felt the exact same way... "Oh my word, my life is ruined. Maya's gonna kill me, bring me back to life, and take out my spine to beat me with it 'til I die again."

"Me too," Fang said. I heard him mutter something else, but didn't quite catch it.

"What was that?"

"He... uh, um, I said, uh, sorry for getting you a detention." He blushed. I smiled, ignoring his stuttering.

"Hey, it's Maya who has a detention."

"Let's go to lunch," Fang said, grinning, a blush still spread like jam on his cheeks.

* * *

******BOTH POEM AND SONG BELONG TO ME. NOCTURNALEKLIPSE AND ANY USING OF ANY OF MY SONGS (or my poem, or my writing) IS NOT ALLOWED, SO DO NOT ASK.  
**

******Yes, I'm mean. Whatever.  
**

******Besides, Chasing the sunset isn't that great anyways. It's not one of my best. :P Whatevs.  
**

******REVIEWS PLEASE!  
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******Thanks for all reviews last time! I got soooo many! That's why I updated so fast!  
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******Remember to review!**

**.Dez.**


	13. Day 5 Part 2: Do Me a Favor?

**Hello, Mate!**

**'Ave a good day, will ya?**

* * *

**~Anything But~ Average**

**Chapter 13:**

**Day 5 Part 2: Do Me a Favor?  
**

I got off the bus at Fang's house, no more awkward than yesterday, and Ella dragged me into her room.

"You're not wearing that, are you?" She asked. I pouted.

"What's wrong with this?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just not that fancy. This is a dance, remember?" Ella said.

"Um," I started, "Actually, it's a play, with a dance afterwords." Ella looked at me weirdly.

"Maya, you haven't acted like yourself all week, but tonight you're acting really weird. Is something going on between you and Nick?" Ella frowned, and I couldn't help but follow her lead. I thought I'd been a pretty good Maya this week.

"No, Elsa, nothings wrong. Everyone thinks that. Lissa was cornering Nick in the Global room trying to kiss him, and calling dibs." I rolled my eyes.

Ella laughed, then threw a bundle of clothes at me. "Here, change into those." She turned around to look for something for herself (I assume). "Hey, maybe you'll get to show everyone that you aren't broken up or whatever at the dance tonight." I laughed half-heartedly.

_That's enough challenges for today, thanks though._

"Yeah, that'd be great." I remember something extremely important for tonight just then, so I didn't undress. "Uh, hey, can I go downstairs and borrow your phone for a minute?"

"Yeah, of course."

I ran as fast as I could and grabbed the phone. Fang looked at me oddly but I didn't have time to explain. I dialed the number and waited for a voice to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, hi. Immy? I need you to do me a favor."

* * *

I smiled and made my way upstairs.

"What was that about?" Ella asked, painting her nails. I shrugged.

"Had to call a friend about some homework. Sorry," I smiled innocently.

"Okaay, um, here let me do your nails, then get dressed.

After we did our nails and talked for an hour, I waited for Ella to give me the okay on my nails that I could change. They had to dry first.

I started undressing as she gave me a thumbs up. I pulled on a pair of floral cutout tights and a light pink (eeewww) dress with roses on it. The good thing about the dress was that it had a thin layer of black tool over it, and it was strapless, (no itchy straps!) so it wasn't horrible to wear. I looked in the mirror and found out that I actually kind of looked cute. Ella threw a pair of black heels at me, the kind made with patterned cloth. It was soft, floral pink over black.

After an hour of Ella doing my hair and make up, I took another look in the mirror and admired her work. I looked cute, not that I would ever admit it.

"OMG Ella I'm so cuuute! You did a great job! I looove my eyeshadow!"

If I was myself, anyways. But I'm not.

"Oh, I know! I loved the outfit, I was saving it for a dance like this! I have a semi-matching outfit! Look!" Her hair was curled as well, put up in a bun, and she had bright blue floral cutout tights, with demin floral heels, and her dress was... Amazing. It was one strap, over the shoulder, and a purple-blue with tulips on it.

"Oooh, Ella, you look amazing!" She had a soft eyeshadow too, not too dark, just right.

"Aww, thanks! Okay, let's go downstairs and show off our good work!" We hurried down stairs, as best we could with 3 inch heels. Fang was at the table eating a snack or whatever, and we heard the door bell ring. Ella ran to open it as I smiled and grinned. I looked at Fang to see his expression when Iggy came through the door. His expression of surprise was not for Iggy. In fact, Iggy wasn't even who was at the door, it was Fang's mom; she'd just gotten home from work.

Fang, was in fact looking at me in a way I didn't fully understand what it meant. I mean, you know the Universe must be exploding soon when Fang looks at you with his mouth open, huge eyes, un peu drool, and slumped shoulders.

"Uhh..." He said, trying to come up with a coherent thought. _Lol._

"Fang, you're going to catch flies." I crossed my arms and tried not to smile. His whole body twitched out of it's stupor and he smiled at me.

"You look great." He smiled.

"Thank you." Things were getting a bit less awkward from earlier today. I accepted the fact that I did it to save my sister. Or, her relationship, rather.

"You're welcome. Um," He blinked obviously and smiled at me, "I'll eat supper and then I'll go change, and we can head out, okay?" I smiled at him and nodded, going off to find Ella._ Iggy... get here sooon._

I turned around.

"Oh, Fang, I invited Iggy to go to the dance with us. Is that alright?"

Fang nodded and shrugged.

"I don't really know him well, but I guess."

"Well, he's not for you, so that's good." Fang frowned and I turned and went up the stairs.

* * *

When the doorbell rang a second time, I headed down without waiting for Ella. I ran to the door and swung it open.

Iggy was standing there awkwardly in jeans and a dress shirt. "Um, Ella?"

"No, Ig-my, it's Maya. Come in." I had to resist the urge to hug him as he took a cautious step in.

"Oh, hi, Maya." I slipped my arm through his to lead him around to the living room, where Fang sat on the couch.

"Hey, Iggy, right?" Fang held out his hand, but, Iggy, being blind, didn't reach out for it. Fang instead put his hand back down and leaned back against the couch.

"How long does it take her to get down here?" Fang's mom asked. "Ella! We need to leave!" Ella stomped quickly down stairs and saw all three of us sitting on the couch.

"Eep!" Ella blushed bright red and froze on the stair case. I rolled my eyes.

"Here, Fang," I took his arm and laced it through Iggy's so he could lead him out. "Lead Iggy out. Make sure he doesn't trip on anything." Fang nodded and then frowned. I ignored it and turned to Ella.

"Ella. Come with me, so our dates can lead us to the car." We followed them out- well, more of me leading Ella out as I followed the boys. She was still a bit shocked.

"Come on, this will be extremely fun. You'll love it!" And I thought Ella would have to say that to me... :P

* * *

******lol. I put a tongue face on here. Anyways, I will be skipping the play and dance, just because- lol, I'm kidding! I'm kidding!**

******Hey, look, I'm sorry I prolonged this for so long, but I was hoping to get to 150reviews before posting it.**

******Anyways, enjoy! This is only partly a filler chapter! I just didn't want to make it so long, so I'm going to have a part 3 to Day 5 come out soon, alright? Within this month! A lot happens! **

******Besides, homework's crap in high school. -_-**

******Remember to review!**

**.Dez.  
**


	14. AUTHORS NOTE: Don't worry!

**So, my wonderful followers, if you still check on this, it is FEBRUARY VACATION where I am! (Take that, New Hampshire!) So, you can expect a LONG chapter (hopefully long, anyways) by Saturday Sunday.**

**Now, before you chew my head off, realize that I'm in my freshman year at a private school, I take part in 3 hour drama practices, and I have grades to keep up to STAY in la Drame. **

**So, please, give me my overdue hate mail below and I will reply with a great, wonderful, Fax filled chapter. How about I give you the rest of day 5 and all of day 6 in one chapter? Or, I'll try, at least. I mean, it will only be half of day six featured in the chapter anyways, because that's all that the plot calls for, but ENNYWAIS.**

**Please don't hate me too much! I'm under butt fricken loads of school crap. And, I have a science project I should be doing instead of this. **

**See how much I love you?**

**This much! I'm going to give you a really funny story about me and my grandmother, because she's da bayust.**

**So, I went to spend the night at my grandmothers last night for her birthday, and around 8:30 we started playing Rummy. At one point, when she was whooping my butt, I beat her by 10 points for one hand, and I said, "Aw yeah, Gramma, I'm making a comeback." Then, she said, "How can you make a comeback if you haven't been there?" What? Then, later, I went to help her put wood in the fire down cellar, and she made me hold a really big piece of wood. I commented on how it felt like a baby and then she took the piece of wood and said, "Aw, nice baby," threw it in the fire, "nice and warm..."**  
**My Grandmother... Is awesome.**

**Anyways, I hope you laughed, because I couldn't stop laughing last night. She kept making jokes that (when I yawned) it was past my bedtime and I should go to bed. At 10:30. My 69 year old grandmother. SHE SHOULD BE GOING TO BED. **

**But my grandparents are punk-rock - wait, that's not it, um, they're bluegrass... I guess, - so they don't go to bed early like most old people. On Friday, they stay up until 12-1:30. Believe me.**

**Anyways, leave hate mail below, and give me any ideas you think would be cool for ABA! :)**

**-TickClock**


	15. Bringing IT Back! Read!

**Hello readers! **

**So, this is a notice if you would like to still read my stuff. Due to some identity issues with my account lately, and wanting to start over, I have created a new account, I will not delete this one, and I will still read any reviews I get, I will check whenever I get on to my other account, and there has been a bunch of other stuff that has caused me to do this as well. **

**So, as I'm starting over, I thought you might want to follow me. If you do, you can find me at ChemicallyBurned. I have a blog to go along with my new account, where you see previews and news updates for new stories and new chapters. I may move two of my stories that I've loved, and I have one story already started, though it hasn't been uploaded to ****fan fiction yet. I will be releasing a release date and a small preview on my blog, as well as pictures or anything I do for my stories. You will be up to date on any of my stories if you follow my blog, and you can get exclusive information. The summary for my upcoming story has already been released on my blog, and more is coming soon.**

**chemiburned dot blogspot dot com**

**I hope you at least check it out, and maybe try to see when my new story will come out, and which two I will be carrying over onto my new account. Thanks for taking the time to read this. ;)**

**Hint, if you like ABA you might want to check out the blog! There is going to be some news on this story for you!**

**~Dez (Chemi)**


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